$6,400.00 – $7,490.00
The T maze is an enclosed apparatus in the form of a T placed horizontally, similar to the Y maze. Animals usually start from the base (long arm) of the T and allowed to choose one of the goal arms. The test relies on either spontaneous alternation or rewarded alternation(1). The Maze Engineers automated T maze uses a return to start module so that the mouse or rat can automatically return to the start area without human intervention, maximizing ease of use and automated experiments.
MazeEngineers offers custom-built behavioral mazes at no extra cost—designed to fit your exact research needs. Eliminate reproducibility issues from poor sizing or lingering scent cues with precision-engineered, modular, and smart mazes that adapt in real time to animal behavior. Publish new protocols, run adaptive experiments, and push the boundaries of behavioral science.
Take advantage of Neuralynx, Ethovision Integration, SMS and Email integration with the Conductor Science Software. No I/O Boxes Required
Mouse | Rat |
Any color available | Any color available |
Matted - non Reflective acrylic | Matted - non Reflective acrylic |
Odor Free | Odor Free |
Easy clean with 70% Ethanol | Easy clean with 70% Ethanol |
<10db door movement | <10db door movement |
The Automated T-Maze is a widely used tool in neuroscience and behavioral pharmacology for assessing spatial memory, decision-making, and executive function in rodents. Researchers commonly use it to:
Evaluate spontaneous alternation behavior – the natural tendency of rodents to explore novel arms, which is a key indicator of working memory.
Assess rewarded alternation – measuring reference memory by associating specific arms with food rewards.
Investigate the effects of genetic modifications or pharmaceutical compounds on decision-making and spatial working memory performance.
The Automated T-Maze is not just a spatial navigation tool—it is a powerful and versatile platform for probing high-level cognitive functions in rodents. Through its modular automation and customizable protocols, it enables researchers to assess a range of executive and memory-related processes under precisely controlled conditions.
By alternating baited arms between or within sessions, the T-Maze can differentiate between:
Working memory: The subject’s ability to remember recently visited arms within the same session (e.g., delayed alternation tasks).
Reference memory: Long-term recall of consistent reward locations across sessions.
This paradigm allows researchers to model and investigate hippocampal and prefrontal cortex involvement in memory consolidation, as well as to evaluate pharmacological and genetic interventions that affect memory systems.
The system supports rule-shifting and reversal learning tasks:
Set-shifting: Animals must adapt to new contingencies (e.g., switching from left-arm preference to right-arm, or from spatial to cue-based rules).
Reversal learning: Once a rule is learned, contingencies are inverted, testing the ability to suppress previously reinforced behaviors.
These tasks model prefrontal cortex-dependent functions, closely mirroring cognitive flexibility deficits observed in psychiatric and neurodegenerative conditions such as schizophrenia, OCD, and Alzheimer’s disease.
The maze integrates seamlessly with operant modules (e.g., automated pellet dispensers, LED cues, sound cues, nose-poke sensors), enabling:
Cue-guided navigation: Subjects make decisions based on auditory or visual cues, mimicking real-world stimulus-response behaviors.
Reinforcement learning: Real-time rewards based on correct arm choices reinforce adaptive behaviors over repeated trials.
Such operant paradigms are ideal for dissecting dopaminergic reinforcement systems and are useful in addiction models, attention tasks, and models of decision-making under uncertainty.
The system integrates advanced features for precision and flexibility:
The T-Maze is equipped with non-invasive, automated detection technologies, ensuring reliable arm-entry logging without the need for continuous human observation:
Infrared beam sensors: Positioned strategically across maze junctions to register discrete entries and exits with millisecond precision.
Capacitive touch sensors: Embedded in the maze floor or reward zones, ideal for tasks requiring subtle proximity detection (e.g., nose-pokes or area occupancy).
These systems eliminate observer bias and improve data throughput, especially in high-frequency or multi-animal experimental designs.
The maze features a fully modular design, allowing researchers to adapt it to diverse behavioral paradigms. Key features include:
Interchangeable wall panels: Configure transparent, opaque, or patterned walls to manipulate visual cues and line-of-sight.
Flexible cue integration: Easily mount LEDs, speakers, or scent dispensers at arm ends or junctions for multimodal stimulus-response experiments.
This modularity extends the maze’s usability across multiple experimental conditions without needing additional infrastructure.
Designed to interface with advanced video tracking systems such as ConductVision, the Automated T-Maze supports:
Live position tracking of the subject with spatial resolution sufficient for head vs. body zone analysis.
Trajectory reconstruction for measuring path efficiency, hesitation, and exploration patterns.
Automated zone definitions and heatmap generation, allowing quantitative comparisons between animals, sessions, or treatment groups.
This seamless integration enables multimodal data synchronization, especially when combined with optogenetics or neural recordings.
The Automated T-Maze is a widely used tool in neuroscience and behavioral pharmacology for assessing spatial memory, decision-making, and executive function in rodents. Researchers commonly use it to:
Automated logging of behavioral events – including arm entries, time spent, and latency metrics.
Live notifications – via SMS or email for experimental anomalies or preset events.
Exportable data formats – compatible with analytical tools like SPSS, R, and Python.
The Automated T-Maze is a widely used tool in neuroscience and behavioral pharmacology for assessing spatial memory, decision-making, and executive function in rodents. Researchers commonly use it to:
24/7, 99.9% accurate optical detection with easy to configure actionable responses to movement.
Suggested color choices include Blue, Grey, Black, White & Clear, but we can make it any color of the rainbow!.
Lids can be configured to create safe, secure environments.
Copper shielding allows for maximized data collection in electrophysiology experiments . Please inquire about this option.
Integrated Lickometers allow for sucrose and reward preference tasks.
Integrated feeders allow for pellet rewards and reward preference experiments.
Integrated treadmills allow for exercise, metabolic, and fatigue tasks.
Integrated living environments allow for long term experimental tasks.
Safe shock grids can be built into flooring and walls to maximize learning experiments.
Touch screen end inserts can be created for complex intramaze cues.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
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IR Beam Breaks |
Automated detection of arm entries & exits |
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Motorized Doors |
Time-controlled arm access for rule-based tasks |
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RFID Integration |
Tracks identity of individual rodents in group housing |
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Modular Design |
Removable arms, variable textures, custom lighting/cues |
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Software Suite |
ConductVision-compatible, with real-time analysis & remote notifications |
| Species | Mouse, Rat |
|---|---|
| Adapter Software | Software, No Software |
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DISCLAIMER: ConductScience and affiliate products are NOT designed for human consumption, testing, or clinical utilization. They are designed for pre-clinical utilization only. Customers purchasing apparatus for the purposes of scientific research or veterinary care affirm adherence to applicable regulatory bodies for the country in which their research or care is conducted.
