Biomedical subjects

Yannick Jeantet

Publications and source records attributed to Yannick Jeantet.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

A new test for long-term spatial memory using an operant chamber in mice.

As part of ongoing efforts to develop fully automated and standardized behavioral tasks to probe cognitive and mnemonic capabilities of mice, we have constructed a new rectangular operant chamber. The chamber contains numerous nose poke holes, distributed over three of its inner walls that are identifiable by their spatial locations. Using this apparatus, we have developed a 'spatial' memory task using a successive reversal discrimination paradigm. Mice learn to discriminate, by trial and error, the position of a single valid hole during a Presentation session wherein they obtained a maximum of 20 reinforcements or 15 min time elapsed. Following a delay interval, they were resubmitted to the same task (Test) using the same reinforced hole. Results indicated that C57BL/6 mice exhibited a significant improvement during the Test, the magnitude of the improvement (memory savings) being dependent on the length of retention intervals ranging from 5 min to 24h. In addition, discrimination performance was sensitive to scopolamine in a dose dependent manner. The simplicity in task set up and the minimal labor and space requirements make this task suitable for high throughput behavioral characterization of genetically modified mice.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed2005

Item organization in three-dimensional space and their discriminability in a mouse operant behavioral task.

In order to study spatial cognition as well as operant/instrumental conditioning or attention processes in the same experimental context in mice, we have designed and constructed an operant chamber that contains a large number of nose poke holes distributed over its inner walls. The nose poke holes were placed three in a horizontal row on one left wall, five in a form of an X on the front wall, and three in a vertical column on one right wall in a hexagonal shaped chamber. This organization of nose poke holes was intended to provide mice with spatially structured environmental cues. Here, we report on an experiment in which providing additional structuring to the standard condition, favoring either further spatial grouping or perceptual/visual clustering of subsets of holes, tremendously facilitated nose poke discrimination learning in normal C57BL/6 mice. More interestingly, mice were able to use their (spatial or mental) representation of holes organization elaborated under spatially or visually structured environment, to improve their learning of a new discrimination under the standard less-structured environment. These findings support the idea that mice are sensitive to subtle visual background information, in addition to spatial information, to organize nose poke items, process similar to both pattern separation and chunking process, in order to minimize interference and to increase items discriminability and their capacity for (long-term) memory.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed2003

Design of a twin tetrode microdrive and headstage for hippocampal single unit recordings in behaving mice.

A new, easy to construct electrode, microdrive and headstage for electrophysiological recording system which is specifically adapted for freely behaving mice is described. The system uses printed circuit boards and light, flexible cables to enable the animal's free movement for behavioral testing. A clip attachment system permits rapid and secure connection of the headstage and cables to the microdrive assembly on the animal's head. The current system provides eight recording channels, but the design can be modified to accommodate additional channels.

Action Potentials↗