Touchscreen-enhanced visual learning in rats

Abstract

The efficiency of traditional levers and of modern touchscreen technology for training rats on a computerized visual discrimination was studied in a series of observations. When compared with a leverbased discrimination procedure, the use of touchscreens supported the faster development of signal tracking behavior and acquisition of a two-stimulus simultaneous visual discrimination. It did not affect the final level of accuracy. Factors related to spatial proximity of the responses with the stimuli, signtracking, and increased ease of touchscreen motor responses were suggested as possible reasons for the touchscreen training advantage. This increased efficiency allows large numbers of animals to be tested quickly, a necessary requirement for studies involving genetic and physiological interventions.

Genetic Enhancement of Visual Learning by Activation of Protein Kinase C Pathways in Small Groups of Rat Cortical Neurons

“…Gene transfer was performed, the rats were retested on this orientation discrimination, and then the rats were tested on a new object set(s). For each visual discrimination trial, the rats pressed a lever to obtain an object set and pressed a touchscreen to choose an object, and correct responses were reinforced with both sound and food (Cook et al, 2004). Each experiment required ϳ2 months: ϳ1 month for the training before gene transfer, and ϳ1 month for the gene transfer, recovery, and the visual testing after gene transfer.…”

“…For each object set, a specific object was always correct; because performance with either object as correct is similar (Markham et al, 1996), counterbalancing was not used. Objects were as follows: ' and ", described previously (Cook et al, 2004); Ⅺ, 6.7 cm external side ϫ 0.6 cm wide; ϩ, 6.4 ϫ 1.3 cm for each bar; / and \, 8.3 ϫ 1.0 cm (45°or 135°f or long side); , ։, and -, 6.4 cm horizontal bar, 1.3 cm vertical bar, and 0.8 cm wide for both bars.…”

“…As an overview, initial training was performed to familiarize the rats with the apparatus (Cook et al, 2004); the rats were then trained to discriminate between horizontal versus vertical bars (' vs "). Gene transfer was performed, the rats were retested on this orientation discrimination, and then the rats were tested on a new object set(s).…”

“…This blind code was used to identify the rats to both the computer and the computer operator throughout the experiment. The rats were maintained on moderate food deprivation (8 gm/d per rat), and water was available ad libitum (Cook et al, 2004).…”

Do rats use shape to solve “shape discriminations”?

“…This may reflect either a failure to visually process global shape information or a failure to discover shape as the discriminative stimulus in a simultaneous discrimination. Either way, our results suggest that simultaneous shape discrimination is not a good task for studies of visual perception in rodents.Discrimination tasks have long been used to probe perceptual processes in animals, and visual discrimination tasks, particularly automated ones, are increasingly used in rodents because of the contribution that rodent neurobiological studies (such as newly emerging transgenic models) can make to understanding the brain mechanisms underlying visual perception (Bussey et al 1994(Bussey et al , 2001Cook et al 2004). Visual discrimination tasks often require the animals to choose between simple geometric shapes, and an implicit assumption in these studies is that rats and mice process shape in a holistic manner when making these discriminations.…”