小鼠动物实验方法系列专题(一)——Morris水迷宫实验在小鼠表型分析中的应用

本文以C57和129Sv小鼠为例介绍了Morris水迷宫实验的基本原理和实验步骤。该实验是研究鼠类空间学习记忆功能的重要实验:通过连续多日训练鼠类以水池壁的标记物进行定位导航游泳寻找水中隐藏平台的方法检测小鼠的空间学习能力;接着撤除平台,分析小鼠在水迷宫里搜索原隐藏平台的行为来检测小鼠的空间记忆功能。结果发现,两种小鼠均可成功完成实验,C57综合表现优于129Sv小鼠。Morris水迷宫是对小鼠空间学习和记忆功能研究的重要工具。     

初步探讨鸟嘌呤核苷、姜黄素对AD双转基因小鼠学习记忆的影响

目的通过Morris水迷宫检测学习记忆和记忆保持能力,判断鸟嘌呤核苷、姜黄素对4月龄APPswe/PS1dE9双转基因小鼠认知功能的影响。方法将3月龄APPswe/PS1dE9双转基因小鼠随机分为模型组、盐酸多奈哌齐组0.92 mg/(kg·d)、鸟嘌呤核苷组20 mg/(kg·d)、姜黄素组200 mg/(kg·d)、姜黄素200 mg/(kg·d)和鸟嘌呤核苷组20 mg/(kg·d),每组12只;并以同月龄野生型C57/BL6J小鼠作对照。每天给药1次,连续给药1个月。应用Morris水迷宫进行行为学检测。结果鸟嘌呤核苷、姜黄素对空间探索、定位航行障碍有改善作用,尤其以姜黄素组明显。结论鸟嘌呤核苷、姜黄素能改善APPswe/PS1dE9双转基因小鼠的早期出现的认知障碍。     

Effects of exposure to a 50 Hz sinusoidal magnetic field during the early adolescent period on spatial memory in mice

Adolescence is a critical developmental stage during which substantial remodeling occurs in brain areas involved in emotional and learning processes. Although a robust literature on the biological effects of extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF‐MFs) has been documented, data on the effects of ELF‐MF exposure during this period on cognitive functions remain scarce. In this study, early adolescent male mice were exposed from postnatal day (P) 23–35 to a 50 Hz MF at 2 mT for 60 min/day. On P36–45, the potential effects of the MF exposure on spatial memory performance were examined using the Y‐maze and Morris water maze tasks. The results showed that the MF exposure did not affect Y‐maze performance but improved spatial learning acquisition and memory retention in the water maze task under the present experimental conditions. Bioelectromagnetics 34:275–284, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

磁场对小鼠两种迷宫学习记忆的影响

据发现,磁场对生物体有一定作用,但是磁场对于人类或实验动物的学习记忆是否有影响,目前的报道结果很不一致。本实验采用实验小白鼠,给予不同强度（65高斯／50Hz,35高斯/25Hz）的低频磁场照射（每天1小时,持续25天）。磁场照射后,采用旷场行为测试、Y-迷宫和Morris水迷宫,检测小鼠的活动性、空间辨别、空间学习记忆和非空间学习记忆能力。结果表明：65高斯／50Hz磁场显著增高小鼠的活动性,并损伤小鼠Y-迷宫的空间辨别能力,但对Morris水迷宫的空间、非空间学习记忆无明显影响。35高斯／25Hz磁场处理动物行为在三个指标上均接近对照组。提示：长期的磁场照射可能会给动物,甚至人类造成一些影响。     

BALB/c和ICR小鼠的学习记忆能力等行为学研究

目的研究不同品系小鼠学习记忆能力的差异,为学习记忆的基础研究提供应用信息。方法80只BALB/c和80只ICR小鼠分别分为Morris水迷宫组、跳台组、穿梭组、ROTA-ROD组,每组20例,进行学习记忆能力及行动能力测试。结果水迷宫组在9轮水迷宫训练学习期BALB/c小鼠空间学习记忆能力没有明显提高。ICR小鼠从9轮水迷宫训练学习期的第4次开始,逃避潜伏期显著缩短,与前3次相比差异有显著性(P<0.001)。跳台组ICR和BALB/c小鼠训练前后5 min内错误次数及跳下潜伏期差异均具有显著性。穿梭组ICR小鼠学习期与记忆期主动逃避次数、被动逃避次数及电击时间的差异均有显著性,而BALB/c小鼠训练前后主动逃避次数、被动逃避次数及电击时间的差异均无显著性。ROTA-ROD组ICR小鼠的跑步动作维持时间显著高于BALB/c小鼠,其差异有显著性。结论以上结果提示在进行某些学习记忆实验时,使用ICR小鼠优于BALB/c小鼠。     

水迷宫实验中三种品系小鼠学习记忆能力的比较

目的探讨三种品系小鼠在Morris水迷宫实验中的学习记忆能力差异,为与改善学习记忆能力相关新药研究的实验动物选择提供参考。方法选用C57BL/6小鼠、昆明种小鼠和ICR小鼠,进行定位航行实验(5d)、空间搜索实验(1d)和工作记忆实验(4d),考察其学习记忆能力。结果定位航行实验从第3天起C57BL/6小鼠的潜伏期明显小于昆明种小鼠和ICR小鼠(P0.01);空间搜索实验C57BL/6小鼠穿过原平台位置的次数、在原平台象限游程比率和时间比率均明显多于昆明种小鼠和ICR小鼠(P0.05);动物每天工作记忆实验的潜伏期随测试次数增加而缩短,C57BL/6小鼠缩短的较昆明种小鼠和ICR小鼠稍多。结论C57BL/6小鼠的空间参考记忆能力与工作记忆能力均优于昆明种小鼠和ICR小鼠,且非空间因素对其学习记忆能力的评价干扰较小,可作为优先选择的水迷宫实验动物。     

Male and female Fmr1 knockout mice on C57 albino background exhibit spatial learning and memory impairments

Impaired spatial learning is a prominent deficit in fragile X syndrome (FXS). Previous studies using the Fmr1 knockout (KO) mouse model of FXS have not consistently reported a deficit in spatial learning. Fmr1 KO mice bred onto an albino C57BL/6J‐Tyr^c‐Brd background showed significant deficits in several primary measures of performance during place navigation and probe trials in the Morris water maze. Fmr1 KO mice were also impaired during a serial reversal version of the water maze task. We examined fear conditioning as an additional cognitive screen. Knockout mice exhibited contextual memory deficits when trained with unsignaled shocks; however, deficits were not found in a separate group of KO mice trained with signaled shocks. No potentially confounding genotypic differences in locomotor activity were observed. A decreased anxiety‐like profile was apparent in the open field, as others have noted, and also in the platform test. Also as previously reported, startle reactivity to loud auditory stimuli was decreased, prepulse inhibition and social interaction increased in KO mice. Female Fmr1 KO mice were tested along with male KO mice in all assays, except for social interaction. The female and male KO exhibited very similar impairments indicating that sex does not generally drive the behavioral symptoms of the disorder. Our results suggest that procedural factors, such as the use of albino mice, may help to reliably detect spatial learning and memory impairments in both sexes of Fmr1 KO mice, making it more useful for understanding FXS and a platform for evaluating potential therapeutics.     

Protective effects of methanol extract of Acori graminei rhizoma and Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus on ischemia-induced neuronal death and cognitive impairments in the rat

Acori graminei rhizoma (AGR) and Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus (URE) have been widely used as herbal medicine against ischemia. In order to investigate whether AGR and URE influenced cerebral ischemia-induced neuronal and cognitive impairments, we examined the effect of AGR and URE on ischemia-induced cell death in the striatum, cortex and hippocampus, and on the impaired learning and memory in the Morris water maze and radial eight-arm maze in rats. After middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 2 h, rats were administered saline, AGR or URE (100 mg/kg, p.o.) daily for three weeks, followed by their training to the tasks. In the water maze test, the animals were trained to find a platform in a fixed position during 6 days and then received a 60-s probe trial in which the platform was removed from the pool on the 7th day. In the radial eight-arm maze, animals were tested six times per week for 1 week. Rats with ischemic insults showed impaired learning and memory on the tasks. Pretreatment with AGR and URE produced a significant improvement in escape latency to find the platform in the Morris water maze and in the number of choice errors in the radial arm maze test. Consistent with behavioral data, pretreatments with AGR and URE significantly reduced ischemia-induced cell death in the hippocampal CA1 area. These results demonstrated that AGR and URE have a protective effect against ischemia-induced neuronal loss and learning and memory damage. Our studies suggest that AGR and URE may be useful in the treatment of vascular dementia.     

Effects of testosterone on spatial learning and memory in adult male rats

A male advantage over females for spatial tasks has been well documented in both humans and rodents, but it remains unclear how the activational effects of testosterone influence spatial ability in males. In a series of experiments, we tested how injections of testosterone influenced the spatial working and reference memory of castrated male rats. In the eight-arm radial maze, testosterone injections (0.500 mg/rat) reduced the number of working memory errors during the early blocks of testing but had no effect on the number of reference memory errors relative to the castrated control group. In a reference memory version of the Morris water maze, injections of a wide range of testosterone doses (0.0625-1.000 mg/rat) reduced path lengths to the hidden platform, indicative of improved spatial learning. This improved learning was independent of testosterone dose, with all treatment groups showing better performance than the castrated control males. Furthermore, this effect was only observed when rats were given testosterone injections starting 7 days prior to water maze testing and not when injections were given only on the testing days. We also observed that certain doses of testosterone (0.250 and 1.000 mg/rat) increased perseverative behavior in a reversal-learning task. Finally, testosterone did not have a clear effect on spatial working memory in the Morris water maze, although intermediate doses seemed to optimize performance. Overall, the results indicate that testosterone can have positive activational effects on spatial learning and memory, but the duration of testosterone replacement and the nature of the spatial task modify these effects.     

Imaging activation of adult-generated granule cells in spatial memory

New neurons are continuously generated in the subgranular zone of the hippocampus throughout adulthood, and there is increasing interest as to whether these new neurons become functionally integrated into memory circuits. This protocol describes the immunohistochemical procedures to visualize the recruitment of new neurons into circuits supporting spatial memory in intact mice. To label adult-generated granule cells, mice are injected with the proliferation marker 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU). At different delays after BrdU treatment, mice are trained to locate a hidden platform in the Morris water maze, and spatial memory can then be tested in a probe test with the platform removed from the pool. Ninety minutes after this probe test, mice are perfused and tissue is sectioned. Immunohistochemical procedures are used to quantify BrdU-labeled cells and expression of the immediate early gene, Fos. Because Fos expression is regulated by neuronal activity, the degree of overlap between BrdU-labeled and Fos-labeled neurons provides an indication of whether adult-generated granule neurons have been incorporated into spatial memory circuits.     

钩藤散改善APP/PS1双转基因小鼠学习记忆功能的代谢组学研究

目的:采用非靶向的高通量尿液代谢组学技术对钩藤散改善淀粉样前体蛋白/早老素蛋白1基因,即APP/PS1双转基因小鼠的作用机制进行研究。方法:5月龄APP/PSI小鼠采用Morris水迷宫实验检测双转基因小鼠的空间学习能力,在确定出现空间记忆能力功能损伤地条件下采用基于非靶向的尿液代谢组学技术研究APP/PSI小鼠的代谢网络,聚焦关键通路,同时观察钩藤散在水迷宫和代谢水平上的治疗作用。结果:Morris水迷宫对比发现APP/PSI小鼠的空间记忆能力明显长于同窝野生小鼠,给予钩藤散后呈现一定程度的回调趋势,经非靶向的代谢轮廓分析和核心代谢通路聚焦后,成功发现正常小鼠(同窝野生小鼠)和APP/PSI双转基因小鼠代谢轮廓间差异最大的信号,经质谱解析和权威数据库检索后鉴定6个与学习记忆相关的潜在生物标记物,分别是牛磺酸(taurine)、叶酸(pteroylglutamic acid)、新蝶呤(neopterin)、磺乙谷酰胺(glutaurine)、戊邻酮二酸盐(2-oxoglutarate)、二氢新蝶呤(dihydroneopterin),他们主要涉及牛磺酸代谢及叶酸代谢等,经钩藤散治疗后能有效回调。结论:钩藤散对APP/PSI双转基因小鼠的学习记忆能力具有一定治疗作用,本次发现的6个生物标记物可能是APP/PSI双转基因小鼠发病的潜在靶点,为钩藤散的相关药效学研究提供实验依据。     

两种水迷宫在测试拟阿尔茨海默病小鼠学习记忆能力中的比较

目的采用两种水迷宫对拟阿尔茨海默病小鼠学习记忆功能进行比较。方法将小鼠分为正常对照组、模型组及给药组。用Morris水迷宫和MS-2水迷宫自动控制仪分别测试各组小鼠的学习记忆能力。结果在Morris水迷宫测试中,模型组与对照组,给药组与模型组比较,逃避潜伏期均有显著性差异（P〈0.01）,在MS-2水迷宫自动控制仪测试中,模型组与对照组比较有明显差异（P〈0.05）,而给药组与模型组比较,游出水迷路的时间均有所减少,但没有显著性差异（P〉0.05）。结论Morris水迷宫和MS-2水迷宫自动控制仪测试方法均能反映动物学习和记忆功能,而前者能更敏感地反映出动物的学习记忆能力。因此,Morris水迷宫应为实验首选,当然在实验需要时,两种水迷宫最好结合使用,以得到客观的结果。     

Spatial learning impairment in a murine model of AIDS.

Mice infected with an immunosuppressive murine leukemia virus (MuLV) mixture, LP-BM5, displayed profound and selective deficits in spatial learning in a modified Morris water maze. These deficits appeared before the appearance of gross neurological impairment or histopathological changes in the central nervous system. Thus, LP-BM5-infected mice displayed deficits in several aspects of trained performance compared to controls. Furthermore, a failure to exhibit any evidence of task acquisition in this maze was observed almost twice as frequently (P less than 0.0005) in infected mice as in uninfected controls. Moreover, in the absence of gross visual, motoric, or motivational impairment, LP-BM5 MuLV-infected animals exhibited neither the target directed search pattern nor the spatial preference characteristic of controls. The spatial learning and memory deficit described here is the first report of cognitive impairment accompanying viral-induced immunosuppression in a nonprimate species.     

Positive impact of levetiracetam on emotional learning and memory in naive mice

AimsThe effect of an antiepileptic drug on cognitive function is of primary importance with respect to the patient's quality of life. Levetiracetam (LEV) is a novel antiepileptic drug used to treat epilepsy, but its effects on spatial and emotional learning and memory are not yet well understood. The goal of our study was to establish the effects of LEV (17 and 54 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (IP)) on spatial memory retrieval in the Morris water maze test and on acquisition and memory formation in the passive avoidance (PA) test in naive mice.Main methodsThe subjects were adult male BALB/c mice. Spatial learning and memory was established with the Morris water maze (MWM) test. The ‘time spent in escape platforms quadrant’ and the ‘distance to platform’ analyses were measured using a video tracking system to determine spatial memory function. Emotional learning and memory were determined with a one-trial, step-through passive avoidance test.Key findingsIn the MWM test, LEV (17 and 54 mg/kg) neither affected the time spent in the target quadrant nor altered the distance to platform. Moreover, LEV had no effect on swim speed. In the PA task, LEV (17 and 54 mg/kg) significantly prolonged retention latency.SignificanceOur results indicate that LEV did not alter spatial memory retrieval in the MWM test, but it did show some ameliorating effects on acquisition and memory formation in the PA test in naive mice.     

水迷宫实验中不同性别树鼩学习记忆能力的比较

目的研究雌雄树鼩空间学习和记忆能力的差异。方法随机选择自繁F1代树鼩20只（雄11只,雌9只）,在相同条件下进行8 d的水迷宫实验,包括前7 d的定位航行实验和第8天的空间探索实验。结果定位航行实验中雌雄逃避潜伏期、游泳总路程差异无显著性（P〉0.05）,但不同时间水平差异有显著性（P〈0.05）;平均游泳速度雌雄差异无显著性（P〉0.05）。空间探索实验中目标象限游泳时间和总时间之比、目标象限游泳路程和总路程之比雌雄差异无显著性（P〉0.05）;穿越目标象限次数和搜索策略雌雄差异有显著性（P〈0.05）。结论水迷宫实验中树鼩在空间学习能力上雌雄无差异,但在空间探索实验中雄性的表现优于雌性。     

姜黄素对9月龄APPswe／PSldE9双转基因小鼠行为学的影响

目的应用Morris水迷宫,测试AD模型APPswe／PSldE9双转基因小鼠定位航行及空间搜索等学习记忆和记忆保持能力,评价姜黄素对APPswe／PSldE9双转基因小鼠认知功能的影响。方法将3月龄的APPswe／PSldE9双转基因小鼠随机分为模型组、罗格列酮组（10ms／kg·d）、姜黄素高（400Ing／kg·d）、中（200ing／kg·d）、低剂量组（100mg,,kg·d）,每组6只;并以同月龄遗传背景相同的C57／BL6J小鼠作为对照组。每天灌胃给药1次,连续灌胃6个月。应用Morris水迷宫进行行为学检测。结果姜黄素对APPswe／PSldE9双转基因小鼠空间学习记忆能力障碍有改善作用,尤以姜黄素大剂量和中剂量组效果比较明显。结论姜黄素能改善APPswe／PSldE9双转基因小鼠的认知功能。     

构树黄酮对小鼠学习记忆的影响(英文)

Morris水迷宫在啮齿目动物的空间学习与记忆的研究中被广泛使用。研究表明摄食抗氧化剂能够增强空间学习与记忆能力。本文目的在于研究构树黄酮对昆明小鼠的空间学习与记忆能力的影响。用构树黄酮固体脂质纳米粒对小鼠灌胃4周,然后进行Morris水迷宫测试。与对照组相比,实验组小鼠的各项指标均有显著改善。这表明构树黄酮能显著增强小鼠的空间学习与记忆能力。同时研究还表明构树黄酮对小鼠的生长发育没有影响。     

Impaired cognitive function and reduced anxiety‐related behavior in a promyelocytic leukemia (PML) tumor suppressor protein‐deficient mouse

The promyelocytic leukemia (PML) protein is a tumor suppressor factor mostly known by its involvement in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Interestingly, recent studies have provided evidence that, in the central nervous system, PML is involved in neurogenesis. However, prospective studies of PML in brain are lacking. To further understand the role of PML in the mammalian brain, we studied plasticity and behavioral changes in PML knockout mice. If PML is involved in neurogenesis, and neurogenesis is an important process for proper brain development as well as learning and memory functions, we hypothesized that PML might have a role in plasticity and cognition. Behavioral studies demonstrated that PML knockout mice present abnormalities in conditioned learning and spatial memory, as determined by fear conditioning and Morris water maze tasks. Experiments to determine normal exploratory behavior interestingly revealed that PML knockout mice present reduced anxiety‐related responses as compared to control animals. This was confirmed when PML knockout mice spent more time in the open arms of an elevated plus‐maze, which is an indication of decreased anxiety. Additionally, impairments in hippocampus‐dependent learning were mirrored by altered long‐term plasticity at Schaffer collateral‐CA1 synapses. We now provide the first evidence for an important role of PML in the brain, indicating that PML might have a role in synaptic plasticity and associated behavioral processes.     

Influenza vaccine and learning in C57BL mice with an acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Literature data suggest possible link between influenza vaccination and development of autoimmune processes. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the effect of influenza vaccination on spatial learning in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). EAE was induced in eight-week-old C57BL/6J female mice by subcutaneous immunization (MOG_35–55 in complete Freund’s adjuvant) and Pertussis vaccine injected intraperitoneally. Mice were vaccinated with influenza vaccine three days before MOG immunization. The hippocampal-dependent spatial learning test, Morris Water Maze test (MWM), was performed before and after EAE induction. Significant difference (P < 0.05) in the time for completing the Morris Water Maze task was found between mice with mild clinical signs of EAE when compared to other mice. However no significant difference was observed between mice with EAE and mice with EAE that were vaccinated with influenza vaccine. Hippocampal tissue lesions in EAE mice are in correlation with memory impairment. Study shows no influence of influenza vaccine on progression of clinical signs of EAE, spatial learning and memory impairment.     

Working memory impairment in a transgenic amyloid precursor protein TgCRND8 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

The most profound deficits observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD) are in domains of episodic and working memory systems. Transgenic (Tg) mice expressing mutated human amyloid precursor protein (APP) genes offer a model to study the effect of AD pathology on cognition. We reported previously that APP TgCRND8 mice showed deficits in a reference and working memory evaluated in a Morris water-maze test. In this study, we evaluated the working memory of TgCRND8 mice comparing two training paradigms in a six-arm radial water maze. In the first paradigm, the exploration of the maze was constrained, forcing the mice to use a spatial mapping strategy. In the second paradigm, mice were unconstrained in their exploration of the maze. TgCRND8 mice proved to be significantly impaired in spatial working memory in both paradigms as compared with their non-transgenic littermates. The analysis of data revealed that forcing mice to use a spatial strategy during training caused only a moderate improvement in the performance of all mice. However, unconstrained exploration of the maze not only resulted in a fast learning in control mice, but also facilitated the development of a chaining strategy in spatially impaired TgCRND8 mice. In conclusion, TgCRND8 mice showed impairment in spatial working memory but retained a plasticity to choose alternative search strategies.