| | Mazes | |
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| | 8-Arms Radial Maze | |
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| The assessment of animal memory using different types of mazes has been longely used in neurosciences. Several models have been proposed recently, mainly trying to evaluate accuracy of choice between the alternatives presented in the same day of the session, instead of looking for the accumulated learning through successive days of training. The "Eight Arms Radial Maze", proposed by D.S. Olton & R.J. Samuelson (J.Exper. Psychol: Anim. Behav. Procs. 2:97, 1976) is one of the most extensively used in behavioural laboratories all over the world, mainly due to the flexibility of its structure, allowing the testing of |
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| | spatial memory but also non-spatial cue memory linked with motivational elements.The LE 760 & LE 766 Radial Mazes from Letica are made of black Plexiglas (6 mm thick, all inner surfaces matt finished), mounted on a 100 cm high tripod (see picture above). The arms (700 x 100 mm) are easily detachable by unscrewing an underneath fixing knob. In the proximal extreme, a sliding door (100 x 100 mm) is installed under a closing 200 x 100 mm wall (thus making the full extreme 300 mm high). Each arm has lateral walls lowering from 300 mm high in the proximal extreme down to 30 mm in the distal one. A 30-mm high distal wall closes the arm. | |
| |  | In the distal extreme of each arm, a detachable recessed cup (35-mm diameter, 25-mm depth) can be installed (or replaced by an already supplied cover). The guillotine doors are manually operated in the LE 760 Radial Maze and electrically operated in the LE 766. This later also include automated entrance detection to each arm (by IR beams). The LE 766 needs to be controlled by the "Maze8" software (see figure at left) |
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| | The software allows for the full control of the arm's doors either manually (by means of a buttons panel at the computer screen) or automatically, when a trained subject is being tested. The position of the esperimental subject is permanently verified and presented in the computer scrren (see black dot in the figure). Data are stored as ASCII coded files including the "History" of the subject's behaviour along the trial (order and duration of the visits to each arm). Ordering information | | LE 760 | Eight arms radial maze for Rats | | LE 766 | Automated eight arms radial maze for Rats, including software | | LE 762 | Eight arms radial maze for Mice | | LE 768 | Automated eight arms radial maze for Mice, including software |
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| | Elevated Plus Maze | |
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| | Experimental Habitacle
(LE 840 & LE 846, LE 842 & LE 848) LE 840 & LE 846 (for Rats) and LE 842 & LE 848 (for Mice) are cross shaped mazes. Two pairs of fully interchangeable perspex walls are supplied, to be installed in opposing arms.
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| |  | In the LE 846 & LE 848, automatic systems, an animal detection system is mounted below the floor. Nine IR detectors are used, 3 in each arm (see fig. above). The detection system is active only when the LE 846 / 848 maze is used with the LE 3846 Controlling Unit. |
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| | The LE 3846 Controlling Unit The LE 3846 Controlling Unit allows, jointly with the software MAZESOFT-4) for the control of up to two LE 846/LE 848 Mazes and for the programming of the lenght of the trial. A trial goes on in the controlling system independently of each maze, as soon as an animal is detected into it. |  |
The LE 3846 track the current animal position, according to the 9 sectors (see fig. left) of the maze. Once the trial is over, the following information is provided:
 Total number of sector travelled
Time spent in each sector
Number of entrances to each sector
Sequence of sectors visited (track)
This information is totalised separately for "open / closed" (without / with walls, respectively) arms. Experimental data is permanently stored and battery fed: its integrity is thus guaranteed regardless of the main supply. Ordering Information: Information | | LE 760 | Elevated Plus Maze for Rats | | LE 766 | Elevated Plus Maze for Rats with automatic position detection | | LE 762 | Elevated Plus Maze for Mice | | LE 768 | Elevated Plus Maze for Mice with automatic position detection | | LE 3846 | Control Unit for LE 846 / LE 848, with Software for PC (MAZESOFT-4) |
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C/ Energia,112
08940 Cornellà - Barcelona
Tel : 934 190 709 |
