Cheeseboard Maze
Circular elevated maze with 32 radial wells for spatial learning, working memory, and foraging behavior assessment in mice and rats.
| maze_shape | Circular |
| total_wells | 32 |
| well_pattern | Radial |
| elevation | Elevated above floor |
| rear_side_wells | None (used for habituation) |
| visual_stimulus | Flag-equipped caps available |
The Cheeseboard Maze is a circular behavioral testing platform designed for assessing spatial learning, working memory, and foraging behavior in rodents. Constructed from grey painted acrylic with 32 strategically positioned wells arranged in a radial pattern, this elevated maze system provides a controlled environment for hippocampus-dependent learning paradigms. The circular platform features wells distributed between 20-60 cm from center (species-dependent), with each well capable of accommodating plastic bottle caps for reward delivery.
Available in mouse and rat configurations, the maze incorporates visual stimulus capabilities through flag-equipped caps for non-spatial testing protocols. The rear section remains well-free, serving as a habituation zone for experimental protocols. The elevated design (75-100 cm above floor) ensures proper behavioral responses while the radial well arrangement allows for complex spatial pattern learning assessments and reference memory evaluation.
How It Works
The Cheeseboard Maze operates on the principle of spatial reference memory and working memory assessment through foraging behavior. Animals must learn and remember the locations of baited wells among 32 possible positions arranged in a radial pattern. The task requires subjects to develop spatial maps using distal environmental cues while avoiding previously visited locations within a session (working memory) and remembering consistently baited locations across sessions (reference memory).
The circular design with radial well distribution creates a spatial learning environment similar to natural foraging contexts. Visual stimuli can be introduced through flag-equipped bottle caps for non-spatial control conditions, allowing researchers to dissociate spatial from non-spatial learning strategies. The elevated platform design encourages exploration while the well depth and diameter specifications ensure reliable reward detection and consumption.
Performance metrics include latency to find baited wells, number of errors (visits to unbaited wells), search strategy analysis, and path efficiency measures. The rear habituation zone allows for controlled introduction to the apparatus before testing begins.
Features & Benefits
maze_shape
- Circular
total_wells
- 32
well_pattern
- Radial
elevation
- Elevated above floor
rear_side_wells
- None (used for habituation)
visual_stimulus
- Flag-equipped caps available
bottle_cap_compatibility
- Plastic bottle caps fit in wells
Size
- Mouse
- Rat
Behavioral Construct
- Spatial Learning
- Working Memory
- Reference Memory
- Foraging Behavior
- Spatial Navigation
Automation Level
- manual
Material
- Acrylic
Color
- Grey
Species
- Mouse
- Rat
Display Type
- None
Research Domain
- Aging Research
- Behavioral Pharmacology
- Learning and Memory
- Neurodegeneration
- Neuroscience
Weight
- 6.06 kg
Dimensions
- L: 65.0 mm
- W: 36.0 mm
- H: 27.0 mm
Comparison Guide
| Feature | This Product | Typical Alternative | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Choice Points | 32 wells in radial arrangement | Traditional radial arm mazes typically offer 8-12 arms | Higher spatial complexity allows for more sophisticated working memory protocols and reduces ceiling effects in cognitive assessment |
| Platform Design | Open circular platform with distributed wells | Maze designs often constrain movement to specific pathways | Naturalistic foraging environment allows expression of species-typical search behaviors without geometric constraints |
| Visual Stimulus Integration | Flag-equipped caps for non-spatial control conditions | Many spatial mazes lack integrated cue-based control protocols | Built-in capability to dissociate spatial from non-spatial learning strategies within the same apparatus |
| Species Configurations | Purpose-built mouse and rat versions with optimized scaling | Generic maze sizes often require adaptation for different species | Species-appropriate well dimensions and platform scaling ensure optimal behavioral responses and data reliability |
The Cheeseboard Maze provides a comprehensive spatial learning assessment platform with 32 choice points, integrated visual stimulus capabilities, and species-specific optimization. The open-field design promotes naturalistic foraging behavior while maintaining experimental control for hippocampus-dependent learning protocols.
Practical Tips
Clean the platform thoroughly between subjects using 70% ethanol to eliminate olfactory cues that could influence spatial navigation.
Why: Residual odor trails can provide unintended navigation cues that confound spatial learning assessment.
Verify well depth measurements periodically and ensure bottle caps sit consistently flush with platform surface.
Why: Inconsistent well depth or cap positioning can affect reward accessibility and introduce behavioral artifacts.
Inspect acrylic surface regularly for scratches or damage that could create unwanted visual landmarks.
Why: Surface irregularities may provide proximal visual cues that interfere with distal cue-based spatial navigation.
Record multiple dependent variables including latency, errors, path efficiency, and search strategy to capture different aspects of spatial cognition.
Why: Single measures may miss important cognitive changes and comprehensive analysis provides more robust behavioral characterization.
If animals show preference for specific well locations, rotate the platform orientation between sessions while maintaining distal cues.
Why: Platform rotation helps distinguish between true spatial learning and potential response biases to local cues.
Ensure platform stability and check elevation support structure before each testing session.
Why: Platform movement during testing can create aversive experiences that interfere with natural exploratory behavior.
Setup Guide
What’s in the Box
- Circular acrylic platform (grey painted)
- Elevation support structure
- 32 plastic bottle caps
- Flag-equipped stimulus caps for visual cues
- Assembly hardware
- User manual with protocol guidelines (typical)
Warranty
ConductScience provides a one-year manufacturer warranty covering material defects and workmanship, with technical support for experimental protocol optimization.
Compliance
References
Background reading relevant to this product:
What is the optimal inter-trial interval for spatial working memory protocols?
Consult behavioral literature for species-specific recommendations, typically ranging from 30 seconds to several minutes depending on experimental design and memory retention requirements.
How do I distinguish between spatial and non-spatial learning strategies?
Use flag-equipped visual stimulus caps in control conditions and analyze search patterns - spatial learners show organized search strategies while non-spatial learners rely on visual cues or random searching.
What environmental cues should be present for optimal spatial learning?
Maintain consistent distal visual landmarks around the testing room while minimizing proximal cues on the maze itself to encourage hippocampus-dependent spatial navigation.
How many training sessions are typically required for acquisition?
Protocol-dependent, but most studies use 5-10 training sessions with multiple trials per session to establish stable baseline performance before experimental manipulation.
What food rewards work best for motivation without satiation?
Use small, highly palatable rewards like sucrose pellets or food crumbs, adjusting quantity based on body weight and maintaining 85-90% free-feeding weight for optimal motivation.
Can the maze be modified for different well configurations?
Yes, wells can be selectively baited or covered to create various spatial patterns, though the fixed 32-well radial arrangement provides the structural framework.
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