Use of a maze test to assess spatial learning and memory in cattle: Can cattle traverse a complex maze?
Use of a maze test to assess spatial learning and memory in cattle: Can cattle traverse a complex maze?
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DOI：
10.1016/j.applanim.2016.04.004
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发表时间：
2016-07-01
影响因子：
2.3
通讯作者：
Yamada, Karin
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Hirata, Masahiko;Tomita, Chihiro;Yamada, Karin
进行迷宫测试是为了评估日本黑牛（Bos taurus）的空间学习和记忆能力。测试场地 (14 x 14m) 的设计使其可以不包含迷宫或包含复杂性不断增加的四个不同迷宫之一（L1-L4 迷宫），并在释放点的另一端设有食物奖励以吸引测试奶牛。将奶牛单独释放到竞技场中并进行 5 分钟测试，以测量达到食物奖励的时间（完成时间）和吃掉奖励所花费的时间（进食时间）。实验I让15头奶牛首先进入无迷宫情况，然后进入L4迷宫，最后再次进入无迷宫情况。尽管有 10 头奶牛保留了获得奖励的动机，但没有一头奶牛能够穿过 L4 迷宫，这表明无迷宫和 L4 迷宫情况之间的完成时间存在显着差异（P < 0.01）。实验 2 在无迷宫的情况下测试了另外 14 头奶牛，发现 8 头奶牛对奖励非常积极。实验3对10头在实验1和2中表现出强烈奖励动机的奶牛进行实验，首先进入无迷宫情况，然后进入L1、L2、L3和L4迷宫，再次进入无迷宫情况。五头奶牛能够完成 L4 迷宫，而所有奶牛都保留了奖励的动机，显示无迷宫和 L4 迷宫情况之间的完成时间存在显着差异 (P < 0.01)。在三个实验中，完成时间和进食时间之间存在很强的负相关性（P < 0.001）。结果表明，当日本黑牛获得逐步学习的机会时，它们能够学会穿越复杂的迷宫，尽管这种能力仅限于大约 20% 的动物。一旦学会，他们可以保留迷宫配置的记忆长达 6 周。需要进一步的研究来确定记忆的局限性。 (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. 保留所有权利。
Maze tests were conducted to assess spatial learning and memory in Japanese Black cows (Bos taurus). The test arena (14 x 14m) was designed so that it could contain no maze or one of four different mazes of increasing complexity (L1-L4 mazes), with a food reward at the opposite end of the release point to entice test cows. Cows were individually released into the arena and tested for 5 min to measure the time to reach the food reward (completion time) and the time spent eating the reward (eating time). Experiment I subjected 15 cows initially to the no-maze situation, then to the L4 maze, and finally to the no-maze situation again. None of the cows were able to traverse the L4 maze although 10 cows retained the motivation to reach the reward, showing significant (P< 0.01) differences in completion time between the no-maze and the L4 maze situations. Experiment 2 tested another 14 cows in the no-maze situation and found 8 cows highly motivated for the reward. Experiment 3 subjected 10 cows which showed strong motivation for the reward in Experiments 1 and 2, initially to the no-maze situation, then to the L1, L2, L3 and L4 mazes, and to the no-maze situation again. Five cows were able to complete the L4 maze whereas all cows retained the motivation for the reward, showing a significant (P < 0.01) difference in completion time between the no-maze and the L4 maze situations. There was a strong negative correlation between the completion time and eating time throughout the three experiments (P< 0.001). The results show Japanese Black cows are able to learn to traverse a complex maze when they are provided with step-by-step learning opportunities, although this ability is limited to about 20% of animals. Once learned, they can retain the memory of the maze configuration for up to 6 weeks. Further studies are needed to determine the limitations of the memory. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.