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Water Maze

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- Complete package based on the TSE VideoMot2 system
- Select from a variety of pool sizes and colors - custom configurations on request
- Species-specific platforms (round or square-shaped, large or small)
- A detailed analysis protocol is produced by a mouse-click
- Data export includes the WinTrack export format for further evaluation of search strategies
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The Morris water maze paradigm in which the animal has to learn the position of a submerged platform in
a pool of water has become a popular tool for testing learning & memory in small rodents. Our water
maze package includes a pool with platform, low-light sensitive CCD camera & lens, camera connecting
kit, DVD recorder, PC with built-in control interface, remote control and all connecting cables.
Quadrants or target position can be easily drawn over the image of the pool. When the animal is
released in the pool the tracking is started using a remote control. Data acquisition is stopped when
the animal has reached the target, after it has stayed there for a user-defined time or after a specific
total duration has elapsed. All standard water maze evaluation parameters are provided that can be
easily exported for further statistical evaluation.

Radial Maze (8-Arm Maze)

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- Integrated infrared sensors monitor animal transfers and food removal from the pellet trough
- Variety of hardware options (e.g. automatic pellet feeders, motorized doors, olfactory stimulus
modules)
- Complex Working-Memory and Reference-Memory analysis including evaluation of arm bias
- Also available as non-automated system for use in the TSE VideoMot2
system or for non-automated observation
- The food wells can be connected to automatic pellet feeders if continuous refilling is required
(Dustless precision pellets for all applications are
available from TSE)
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Our Radial Mazes are completely computerized modular systems used to investigate into the effects of
drugs or brain injury on learning and memory performance. In the usual task food is available at the
end of each arm or in selected arms only. The animal has to learn to visit each arm without going back
to an already-visited empty arm. Learning and memory impairments will influence the performance in
subsequent test runs.
A variety of control parameters can be defined including the termination criterion (duration, arm
entries, food removal), start position (fixed or random), feeding pattern, and whether specific doors
are to be closed.
The maze can also be run with non-baited arms or using the continuous refilling option to monitor the
locomotory pattern in the maze.

T-Maze Systems

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- Evaluate spatial learning & alternation behavior, conditional discriminative learning &
working memory
- Infrared sensor combinations monitor entries into compartments
- The modular flexible design offers a variety of hardware options
- Manual or software-controlled doors are used to close individual arms in forced choice
alternation tasks
- Optional floor inserts for tactile discrimination
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Our fully automated T-Maze systems for mice and rats can be configured for a variety of paradigms such
as spatial, visuospatial, light-dark or acoustic discrimination, delayed alternation or forced choice
alternation tasks. Each system consists of two choice and one start arm mounted to a square center - a
start compartment is optional. Both choice arms are equipped with food cribs with integrated pellet
sensors - software-controlled pellet dispensers are used to deliver the reward
(Dustless precision pellets for all applications are available from TSE). The T-Maze control
software package provides a variety of predefined standard paradigms. Choice accuracy is presented in
a results table together with time-based results parameters such as response latency.
The T-Maze is also available as a non-automated system for use in the TSE
VideoMot2 system or for non-automated observation.

Elevated Plus Maze

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- Anxiety testing system for rats & mice
- Four arms are arranged in the shape of a cross
- Two arms have side walls and an end wall ("closed arms") - the two other arms have no walls
("open arms").
- Closed arm walls can be individually inserted into guide rails
- The open arms are surrounded by small ledges to prevent the animal from falling from the maze
- The maze is fastened to a light-weight support frame.
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The Elevated Plus Maze test is one of the most widely used models to test anxiety in small rodents. It
is based upon their natural aversion to heights and open spaces which is decreased by anxiolytically
effective drugs.
We provide both fully computerized systems equipped with infrared location sensors and non-automated
systems for use in the TSE VideoMot2 system. Analysis parameters in both
system include among others open arm time and number of open arm visits. Total arm entries are used as
a measure of general activity.


Copyright © 1995 - 2008 TSE Systems International Group - All rights reserved.
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