Spontaneous Alternation
Percentage of novel arm choices indicating working memory
ConductVision · Behavioral Analysis
T-Maze
Evaluate working memory and decision-making via spontaneous alternation.
RodentWorking MemoryAuto Export
ConductVision / T-Maze
Recording / Trial 3subject tracked
Correct Choice78%
Decision Latency4.2s
Run Time12.8s
Key Parameters
Metrics automatically extracted by ConductVision.
Choice Latency
Decision time at the junction before committing to an arm
Correct Choices
Proportion of trials where the rewarded arm is selected
Total Arm Entries
Number of arm visits reflecting locomotor activity
Arm Dwell Time
Duration spent in each arm revealing spatial preferences
Distance Traveled
Cumulative path length during the session
+ 6 more parameters trackedShow allHide
Same Arm Returns
Consecutive re-entries into the same arm
Win-Stay / Lose-Shift
Response strategy analysis across rewarded and unrewarded trials
Turn Bias
Laterality preference for left vs right arm choices
Return Latency
Time from arm entry to return to the stem junction
Velocity
Mean movement speed across maze zones
Perseverative Errors
Repeated entries into the same incorrect arm
What is the T-Maze?
The T-Maze is a T-shaped apparatus used to investigate learning, memory, and decision-making in rodents. Spontaneous alternation — the tendency to explore a novel arm rather than return to a recently visited one — serves as the primary index of intact spatial working memory.
ConductVision automates data collection through high-resolution video tracking, recording sequential arm entries, calculating alternation percentages, and distinguishing working memory errors from reference memory errors across trial blocks.
Protocol Parameters
| Parameter | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Stem Length | Length of the start arm | 50 cm (rat) / 30 cm (mouse) |
| Choice Arm Length | Length of each choice arm | 50 cm (rat) / 30 cm (mouse) |
| Arm Width | Width of all arms | 10 cm (rat) / 8 cm (mouse) |
| Wall Height | Height of maze walls | 30 cm |
| Test Duration | Maximum time per trial | 5 min (free exploration) |
| Number of Trials | Trials per session for alternation scoring | 10–15 |
| Inter-Trial Interval | Delay between forced-choice and free-choice trials | 30 s |
| Reward | Food reward for rewarded alternation protocol | 45 mg sucrose pellet |
| Food Deprivation | Body weight reduction for rewarded protocol | 85–90% free-feeding |
| Arm Entry Definition | Criterion for arm entry | All four paws |
| Start Door | Guillotine door separating stem from junction | Manual or automated |
Interpreting Results
↓
Decreased Alternation Rate
Working memory deficit — alternation below 50% (chance) seen after scopolamine (0.5 mg/kg), hippocampal lesions, and in aged rodents.
↑
Increased Choice Latency
Decision conflict or cognitive slowing — prolonged hesitation at the junction without choosing may indicate anxiety or memory uncertainty.
↑
Elevated Perseverative Errors
Cognitive inflexibility — repeated entries into the same incorrect arm indicate prefrontal cortex dysfunction or compulsive responding.
↑
Increased Turn Bias
Lateralized preference overriding spatial memory — strong left or right bias suggests striatal asymmetry or failed memory-guided choice.
↓
Reduced Total Arm Entries
Hypolocomotion or motivation deficit — fewer entries reduce statistical power for alternation scoring; check for motor confounds.
↓
Impaired Win-Stay Performance
Failure to return to rewarded locations — dissociable from alternation and sensitive to dorsal striatum lesions.
Research Applications
Working Memory & Cognition
- Cholinergic modulation — scopolamine impairment model with donepezil and galantamine rescue
- Hippocampal function — dorsal hippocampal lesion and inactivation studies
- Aging — age-related working memory decline in Fischer 344 and C57BL/6 strains
Neurodevelopmental Models
- Schizophrenia — NMDA hypofunction models (PCP, MK-801) with alternation deficits
- Autism spectrum — BTBR, Shank3 mutant alternation phenotyping
- ADHD — SHR rat strain spontaneous alternation and impulsivity measures
Decision-Making & Strategy
- Win-stay/lose-shift analysis — dissociating response and place strategies
- Delayed alternation — adjustable delay to titrate working memory load
- Reversal learning — reward contingency switches to assess cognitive flexibility
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