Hidden Platform Training
Hidden Platform Training - Related Videos
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In this video, we describe the Morris water maze test with platform relocation, a navigational task used to study working memory in rodents.
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01:28
Training and Competency in Animal Procedures
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All animal procedures described here must be conducted in accordance with institutional animal ethics guidelines and approved by IACUC. All procedures must follow the principles of the 3Rs—Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement—and must be performed by trained personnel. A Stepwise Approach to Training Proper training and competency in animal procedures are essential to ensure high standards of animal welfare and reliable scientific outcomes. A structured, progressive training approach is...
06:57
Pavlovian Conditioned Approach Training in Rats
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07:05
A Protocol for the Administration of Real-Time fMRI Neurofeedback Training
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Cited by 5 •
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The ability to induce and/or control neural plasticity may be critical in future treatments for neurologic disorders and the recovery from brain injury. In this paper, we present a protocol on the use of neurofeedback training with functional magnetic resonance imaging to modulate human brain function.
FAQs
Changing the starting point prevents the animal from relying on one repeatedly practiced route to the platform. Successful improvement across varied launch positions indicates that the animal is using stable spatial relationships among surrounding environmental cues to navigate. This design strengthens the interpretation that training produces a spatial representation rather than simple cue-following.
Both measures track how efficiently the animal reaches the concealed platform across repeated trials. Declining escape latency shows faster successful escape, while shorter path length indicates a more direct search. When these measures improve despite varied starting points, the pattern supports acquisition of spatial information rather than dependence on one repeated route.
During a probe trial, the platform is absent, so the animal’s search location becomes the main outcome instead of escape to a target. Searching near the platform’s former location indicates retention of information about its spatial position. Probe trials therefore complement acquisition measures and help distinguish learned spatial memory from performance while the platform is present.
Opacity prevents the animal from seeing the platform beneath the water, making surrounding environmental cues important for locating it. The concealed target therefore tests navigation based on spatial relationships rather than direct visual detection of the escape site. This condition is central to interpreting improved performance as evidence of spatial learning and memory formation.
An animal is placed in an opaque pool from a selected starting point and must swim until it locates the submerged escape platform. The procedure is repeated across trials, with launches from varied positions. Researchers then compare escape latency and path length across trials to determine whether performance is improving.
This procedure is useful when the goal is to measure spatial learning, memory formation, or retention in an animal model. Researchers can compare performance after brain injury, during aging, following drug treatment, or after genetic manipulation. Changes in acquisition measures or probe-trial search behavior can indicate how those conditions affect spatial performance.