Noldus provides you with the perfect solution for your water maze test. Combine EthoVision XT with the the water maze that suits your research, and even an on-demand platform to fully automate your research!

• Automatically calculate and analyze parameters related to learning and memory, such as time needed to find the hidden platform.

• Analyze behavior in relation to zones, such as time spent in a specific quadrant.
• Analyze Gallagher's proximity and Whishaw's error.
• Start and stop trials automatically.
• Control the Atlantis platform based on user-definable criteria.

Introduction
The Morris water maze is a test that is often used to study learning and spatial memory in rodents, and the effects of certain substances on this. Typically, the rat or mouse learns to escape from the water by locating a hidden platform with the help of visual cues. Optionally, the platform is removed in a second phase of the experiment, to investigate the reaction of the animal to the absence of the platform.

EthoVision® XT provides the perfect tool to fully automate the water maze test. To complete the solution, Noldus also offers video equipment and supplies a water maze that comes in two sizes, for rats or mice. Optionally, this can be extended with a water heater and an on-demand (Atlantis) platform. 

How it works
The water maze consists of pool, with a hidden platform submerged just below the water surface. Sometimes, the water is dyed to get a better contrast between the animal and its background. A video camera positioned above the maze, sends video images to the computer running EthoVision XT. The software then tracks the animals and is able to measure a wide range of parameters. In the water maze test, certain parameters are of special interest. Examples include the time spent in zones or the number of visits to these zones, such as one of the quadrants, or the zone the platform is in, or where it used to be. With EthoVision XT, it is easy to investigate this, as the program allows you to define separate arena zones, and use these for data selection and analysis. EthoVision XT offers more useful parameters, such as the time it took the animal to reach the platform, as a measure of learning. In the same way, swimming velocity can be used as a measure of motivation. EthoVision XT automatically calculates Gallagher’s proximity index (average distance to platform), used to investigate the progress in learning the location of the platform. The in-zone parameter can be used to calculate the Whishaw’s error as indication of the correctness of the animal’s swim path from the starting location to the platform.

The Morris water maze test is often used to investigate learning and memory deficits or the effects of drugs and substances on these deficits. To learn the differences between healthy versus non-healthy individuals or treated versus non-treated animals, behavioral data of these groups of animals need to be compared. EthoVision XT allows you to select, analyze, and visualize data belonging to each animal group separately.

To increase the throughput and efficiency of your research, Etho- Vision XT allows you to fully automate your experiment. You can, for example, automatically start tracking as soon as the animal is released in the water and stop as soon as the animal has found the platform. You can go even further and use EthoVision XT to control external equipment, based on user-definable criteria. For instance, program EthoVision XT to automatically raise the platform as soon as the animal has been in the water for five minutes. Another way to add efficiency is to record video material from multiple water mazes simultaneously.