Barnes Maze for Rats or Mice, optimized for Videotracking

Additional Info

FEATURE	BENEFIT
High-contrast colors	Gives optimal results with any Video-Tracking software
Non-reflecting surface	Guarantees optimal camera view and no glare
Ample color selection	Available in grey (standard), blue, white, black, custom color
Reasonably rough “warm” surface texture	Selected for best rodent comfort, non-slippery
Quality materials	Reliable and durable mazes, easy to clean and store

Physical	40192 Rat	40193 Mouse
Diameter	130cm	100cm
Number of holes	20	20
Hole diameter	10cm	5cm
Height (from the floor)	60cm	60cm
Shelter	Included. With magnets for easy positioning and removal
Standard color	Grey (RAL GR7001)
Available colors	Blue, white, black, color on request
Weight	35Kg	15Kg
Shipping Weight	46Kg	20Kg
Packing Dimensions	135x135x30cm	114x114x50cm
Warranty	40192/3 is covered by a 24-month warranty

Carol Barnes developed a maze test for spatial learning and memory in 1979 where animals escaped from a brightly lit, exposed circular open platform surface to a small dark recessed chamber located under one of the holes around the perimeter of the platform. Although it was initially invented for rats, the Barnes maze has become more popular to assess spatial memory in mice, taking advantage of their superior abilities to find and escape through small holes.

Visual cues are required to optimize cognitive performance: better performance are evidenced in mice tested with intra- and extra-maze cues than mice trained with no spatial cues present.

The Barnes Maze has similarities to the Morris Water Maze: both tasks measure the ability of a mouse to learn and remember the location of a target zone using a configuration of distal visual cues located around the testing area. Both tasks rely on hippocampal-dependent spatial reference memory and on the inherent tendencies of the subjects to escape from an aversive environment.

However, in the Barnes Maze no strong aversive stimuli is being used as reinforcement, which are likely to produce stress in the animal, influencing the performance in the task. It has been suggested that the Barnes maze is less anxiogenic.

Mostly reference memory and working memory has been studied using the Barnes Maze with different protocols, but more recently the Barnes Maze has been used in protocols to study short-term and long-term reference memory.

 

40192	Barnes Maze (BM) for Rats, including shelter
40193	Barnes Maze (BM) for Mice, including shelter
	ACCESSORIES
40192-002	Shelter with magnetic connection, for Barnes Maze, Rats
40192-320	Black Cup for Rat Barnes (fake shelter), 4cm deep, 10cm I.D., with magnets
40193-003	Shelter with magnetic connection, for Barnes Maze, Mice
40193-320	Black Cup for Mouse Barnes (fake shelter), 2cm deep, 5cm I.D., with magnets
	OPTIONAL
60000	ANY-maze Software
47400-040	B/W USB Camera, including day&night 2.7-13.5mm varifocal lens, 5m USB cable and ceiling support

• C. Barnes et alia: “Memory Deficits Associated with Senescence: a Neurophysiological and Behavioral Study in the Rat" J Comp Physiol Psychol.93(1):74-104, 1979
• B. Sunyer et alia: “Barnes Maze, a Useful Task to Assess Spatial Reference Memory in the Mice” Protocol Exchange: doi:10.1038/nprot.2007.390, 2007