Paradigms and Tasks

Delay Discounting (DD) Task for Mice
Model 89552

As a measure of impulsivity, the Delay Discounting Task (DD) measures how long the rodent is prepared to wait for a larger reward.

Progressive Ratio and Effort Related Choice Task for Mice
Model 89549

The touch screen version of the PR and ERC tasks are designed to be equivalent to the more usual tasks done with levers and nose pokes.

Two-choice Visual Discrimination Reversal for Rats
Model 89540-R

The task involves learning that one of two shapes displayed simultaneously on the screen is correct. Touching the correct stimuli will be rewarded by delivery of food to the reward tray.

Paired-Associate Learning Task - PAL - for Rats
Model 89541-R

In humans this task has proved to be highly effective for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. In the PAL task for rodents, rats learn and remember which of three objects goes in which of three spatial locations.

Visuomotor Conditional Learning - VMCL - for Rats
Model 89542-R

This is a habit or stimulus-response task in which the rodent learns a rule of the type If shape A presented, respond to the left location; if shape B is presented, respond to the right location.

5-choice Serial Reaction Time Task - 5CSRT - for Rats
Model 89543-R

This task requires the rodent to respond to a brief visual stimulus presented randomly in one of 5 locations. This task in rodents is sensitive to cortical manipulations, especially those involving prefrontal cortex, and is highly dependent on cholinergic transmission.

Trial-unique Nonmatching-to-Location Task - TUNL - for Rats
Model 89545-R

TUNL can be thought of as a version of delayed nonmatching-to-place, usually carried out in a conventional Skinner box with levers, in which the rats are presented with a sample location and, following a delay, are presented with two choice locations.

Location Discrimination - LD - for Rats
Model 89546-R

The rodents are required to discriminate between two white squares on the screen. Responses to squares on one side of the screen will be rewarded, while responses on the other side of the screen will be punished with a time out period.

5-Choice Continuous Performance Test - 5C-CPT - for Rats
Model 89548-R

Like the 5-choice serial reaction task, this task requires the rodent to respond to a brief visual stimulus presented randomly in one of 5 locations. In addition some trials present visual stimuli in all five locations together and for these trials the subject must learn to withhold a response.

Rodent Continuous Performance Task: Image (rCPT) for Rats
Model 89551-R

In the Rodent CPT (Image) task, 5 different black and white images are used. They are shown briefly, one at a time and in a random order, on the touch screen. One of the images is designated the target stimulus. In order to obtain reward, the subject must touch the target stimulus and withhold from touching the non-target stimuli.

Autoshaping for Rats
Model 89544-R

The task measures a Pavlovian response to the screen. This is a very rapidly administered test of simple classical conditioning that is dependent on a reward system centred on the ventral striatum.

Two-choice Visual Discrimination Reversal for Mice
Model 89540

The task involves learning that one of two shapes displayed simultaneously on the screen is correct. Touching the correct stimuli will be rewarded by delivery of food to the reward tray.

Paired-Associate Learning Task - PAL - for Mice
Model 89541

In humans this task has proved to be highly effective for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. In the PAL task for rodents, rats learn and remember which of three objects goes in which of three spatial locations.

Visuomotor Conditional Learning - VMCL - for Mice
Model 89542

This is a habit or stimulus-response task in which the rodent learns a rule of the type If shape A presented, respond to the left location; if shape B is presented, respond to the right location.

5-choice Serial Reaction Time Task - 5CSRT - for Mice
Model 89543

This task requires the rodent to respond to a brief visual stimulus presented randomly in one of 5 locations. This task in rodents is sensitive to cortical manipulations, especially those involving prefrontal cortex, and is highly dependent on cholinergic transmission.

Trial-unique Nonmatching-to-Location Task - TUNL - for Mice
Model 89545

TUNL can be thought of as a version of delayed nonmatching-to-place, usually carried out in a conventional Skinner box with levers, in which the rats are presented with a sample location and, following a delay, are presented with two choice locations.

Location Discrimination - LD - for Mice
Model 89546

The rodents are required to discriminate between two white squares on the screen. Responses to squares on one side of the screen will be rewarded, while responses on the other side of the screen will be punished with a time out period.

5-Choice Continuous Performance Test - 5C-CPT - for Mice
Model 89548

Like the 5-choice serial reaction task, this task requires the rodent to respond to a brief visual stimulus presented randomly in one of 5 locations. In addition some trials present visual stimuli in all five locations together and for these trials the subject must learn to withhold a response.

Rodent Continuous Performance Task: Image (rCPT) for Mice
Model 89551

In the Rodent CPT (Image) task, 5 different black and white images are used. They are shown briefly, one at a time and in a random order, on the touch screen. One of the images is designated the target stimulus. In order to obtain reward, the subject must touch the target stimulus and withhold from touching the non-target stimuli.

Autoshaping for Mice
Model 89544

The task measures a Pavlovian response to the screen. This is a very rapidly administered test of simple classical conditioning that is dependent on a reward system centred on the ventral striatum.