The spatial distribution of errors made by rats in Hebb-Williams type mazes in relation to the spatial properties of the blind alleys

Abstract

De Boer, S. and Bohus B. 1988.. The spatial distribution of errors made by rats in Hebb-Williams type mazes in relation to the spatial properties of the blind alleys. Behav. The various configurations in series of Hebb-Williams type of mazes, which are used to measure problem solving behaviour in rats, differ markedly in structure. The relationship between error behaviour and spatial maze structure in control rats tested in a number of pharmacological experiments is described in this paper. The spatial structure of error behaviour of rats was found to correlate with maze structure. Knowledge of these correlations can be used to predict error patterns in new mazes. Furthermore, aspecific experience acquired by running in a number of different configurations, affected error behaviour in a particular test configuration. This effect of aspecific experience was different from that of specific experience acquired in the same test configuration. In studies investigating effects of (e.g. pharmacological)treatments on maze behaviour of rats, changes in the structure of errors may be useful to determine the nature of the behavioural alterations.

Effects of amphetamine and β-endorphin fragments on maze performance in rats

“…2-4). However, T9 is the only one of these configurations in which part of the correct path shows an angle as large as 90 degrees with the direction that rats probably prefer in these mazes, i.e., the direction corresponding to that of the diagonal from start to goal box (6). For the animals tested on day 1 in T9, this course of the path was new.…”

“…Some of these actions appeared to be similar to those of morphine, while others were different from "classical" opiate-like influences. One group of beta-endorphin fragments which show behavioral effects through nonclassical opioid mechanisms is that of the a-type endorphins, which consists of a-endorphin [[3E- (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)] and its fragments, e.g., [3E- (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16), [3E- (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9) and [3E- (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9). Their behavioral effects resemble those of amphetamine in a number of respects.…”

“…The peptides also enhance the apomorphine-induced stereotyped sniffing (20). In a series of foodrewarded problem solving experiments in Hebb-Williams type of mazes, amphetamine, 13E-(2-9) and [3E- (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16) increased the number of errors (2). The resemblance between the effects of amphetamine and a-type endorphins on rat behavior may mean that these substances work through at least partly similar mechanisms.…”