Pig Delayed Non-Match To Sample (DNMS) Task
Large-scale behavioral maze system for assessing spatial memory and hippocampal function in pigs through delayed non-match to sample protocols.
Louise Corscadden, PhD
Director of Science · ConductScience
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Key Specifications
Full details →- Arm Width
- 1 meter
- Start Box Dimensions
- 1m x 1m
- Choice Area Distance
- 1 meter away from start
- Goal Area Distance
- 2.5 meters from start
- Door Types
- guillotine doors and swing doors
- Sizing
- Pig Delayed Non-Match to Sample (DNMS) maze: Height of maze 1.2 m · Width of maze 3 m
The Pig Delayed Non-Match To Sample (DNMS) Task is a specialized behavioral testing apparatus designed to assess spatial memory and hippocampal function in porcine models. This large-scale maze system measures 4 meters by 3 meters by 1.2 meters, featuring controlled access pathways with guillotine and swing doors to manage pig movement during testing protocols. The apparatus enables researchers to investigate recognition memory, spatial learning, and the role of the medial temporal lobe system in memory processing.
During testing, pigs learn a specific path during the sample phase, retain spatial information through a delay period, and then demonstrate memory retention by selecting the novel path during the test phase. The maze design incorporates food reward systems to maintain subject motivation and includes precise spatial parameters with 1-meter wide arms and defined choice and goal areas positioned at specific distances from the start box. This apparatus supports both shaping protocols (10 trials per day) and formal testing sessions (5 trials per day) with standardized 180-second test durations.
How It Works
The DNMS task operates on the principle of delayed matching to sample, where subjects must demonstrate memory retention across temporal delays. During the sample phase, pigs learn to navigate a specific spatial route within the maze structure. The apparatus uses controlled access points with guillotine and swing doors to manage movement patterns and ensure proper task execution. Food rewards provide motivation for correct path selection, creating an operant conditioning paradigm that maintains subject engagement.
The spatial memory assessment occurs through a two-phase protocol: initial learning followed by a delay period, then testing with novel path options. The maze design creates distinct choice points at 1 meter from the start position and goal areas at 2.5 meters, establishing measurable spatial relationships. During the test phase, subjects must recall the previously learned route and demonstrate memory retention by selecting the novel path rather than the familiar one, challenging hippocampal-dependent spatial processing systems.
Features & Benefits
Research identifier
This ID comes from NCBI Taxonomy. Use it in data records and methods sections.
- Species
- Pig
NCBITaxon:9823
Sizes by model
| Measurement | Pig Delayed Non-Match to Sample (DNMS) maze |
|---|---|
| Height of maze | 1.2 m |
| Width of maze | 3 m |
| Depth of maze | 4 m |
| Width of arms | 1 m |
Notes
- Length of start box: 1m
- Width of start box: 1m
Arm Width
- 1 meter
Start Box Dimensions
- 1m x 1m
Choice Area Distance
- 1 meter away from start
Goal Area Distance
- 2.5 meters from start
Door Types
- guillotine doors and swing doors
Test Phase Duration
- 180 seconds
Trials per Day
- 10 trials (shaping), 5 trials (testing)
Training Duration
- 5 consecutive days
Habituation Period
- 3 weeks
Behavioral Construct
- spatial memory
- working memory
- recognition memory
- hippocampal function
- delayed matching
- spatial learning
Automation Level
- manual
Species
- Pig
Dimensions
- 4 meters x 3 meters x 1.2 meters
Research Domain
- Aging Research
- Behavioral Pharmacology
- Learning and Memory
- Neurodegeneration
- Neuroscience
Shipping weight
- 21.0 lb
Shipping box
- L: 43.2 cm
- W: 38.0 cm
- H: 27.9 cm
| Feature | This Product | Typical Alternative | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maze Dimensions | 4m x 3m x 1.2m with 1m wide arms | Smaller scale designs often measure 2-3 meters maximum length | Larger dimensions accommodate adult pig subjects while providing sufficient spatial complexity for meaningful memory assessment. |
| Door Control Systems | Both guillotine doors and swing doors | Basic systems often feature single door type or manual barriers | Multiple door mechanisms enable precise movement control and standardized trial execution across different protocol phases. |
| Trial Structure Flexibility | 10 trials/day (shaping) and 5 trials/day (testing) | Fixed trial numbers often limit experimental design options | Flexible trial parameters accommodate both initial training and formal assessment phases within standardized protocols. |
| Test Duration Parameters | 180-second test phase duration | Shorter durations common in rodent systems | Extended time allowance accounts for larger animal movement patterns and decision-making processes. |
| Spatial Parameter Standardization | Defined choice areas at 1m, goal areas at 2.5m from start | Variable or undefined spatial relationships in basic designs | Precise spatial parameters ensure consistent experimental conditions and reliable memory assessment metrics. |
This apparatus offers comprehensive spatial memory assessment capabilities through large-scale dimensions specifically designed for porcine research, controlled access mechanisms for standardized trial execution, and flexible protocol parameters supporting both shaping and formal testing phases.
Practical Tips
Verify all spatial measurements including arm widths and choice/goal area distances before beginning habituation periods.
Why: Accurate spatial parameters are essential for reliable memory assessment and protocol standardization across testing sessions.
Regularly inspect and lubricate guillotine and swing door mechanisms to ensure smooth operation during trials.
Why: Mechanical door failures during testing can disrupt protocols and compromise data quality in behavioral assessments.
Implement the full 3-week habituation period before formal testing to minimize stress-related performance variables.
Why: Adequate habituation reduces anxiety responses that can confound memory assessment results and improve baseline performance consistency.
Record door operation times and subject movement patterns during each trial to identify potential protocol deviations.
Why: Detailed behavioral documentation enables identification of technical issues or subject-specific factors affecting memory task performance.
Ensure all door mechanisms include safety stops to prevent injury during subject movement within the apparatus.
Why: Safety features protect both subjects and researchers while maintaining protocol integrity during behavioral testing sessions.
Monitor food reward delivery consistency and adjust dispenser mechanisms if subjects show reduced motivation during trials.
Why: Inconsistent reinforcement can impact task performance and confound memory assessment results in operant conditioning paradigms.
Maintain consistent environmental conditions including lighting and ambient noise levels during all testing sessions.
Why: Environmental stability reduces confounding variables that can affect spatial memory performance and decision-making processes.
Setup Guide
What’s in the Box
- Modular maze wall segments (typical)
- Guillotine door mechanisms
- Swing door assemblies
- Assembly hardware and fasteners (typical)
- Installation manual and setup guide (typical)
- Protocol documentation (typical)
- Food reward dispenser components (typical)
Warranty
ConductScience provides a standard 1-year manufacturer warranty covering structural components and mechanical door systems, with technical support for assembly and protocol implementation.
Compliance
Protocol and background
Introduction
The delayed non-match to sample (DNMS) task is used to analyze the role of the hippocampal system in spatial learning. The pig DNMS task demands the subjects to learn a specific path in the sample phase, remember it during the delay period and choose the novel path during the test phase. The delay period between path learning and test period challenges memory retention. The subjects are motivated with food reward for selecting the novel route. The maze tests subject ability to choose correct arm by retrieving spatial memory.
The pig delayed non-match to sample (DNMS) task is applied in understanding the role of the medial temporal lobe and hippocampal system in memory recognition in the pig model of diseases. The DNMS task maze is also useful in evaluating brain injuries causing disruption in recognition memory function and developing relevant therapeutic interventions. The delayed non-match to sample (DNMS) task maze design is based on T-maze used for spatial memory assessment in rodents. Guillotine doors are fixed in the apparatus to control the movement of subjects. Other apparatus used for assessing memory and learning behavior in pigs are Pig T Maze, Pig 8 Arm Radial and Pig Hebb-Williams Maze.
Apparatus & Equipment
The pig DNMS task maze construction is based on the T-maze design. The maze is 1.2 m tall, 4 m deep and 3 m wide. Each arm of the maze is 1 m wide. A start box measuring 1m x 1m is found at the entrance of the maze and has three guillotine doors to enter the start arm, the left and the right arms of the maze. Adjacent to the start box, a door is present in the left arm for experimenter interventions during the test. Two swing doors are found at the distant end of the maze to control subject entrance towards the choice arms. The floor of the maze is marked with choice criteria (at 1 m distance) and goal criteria (2.5 m from the start) lines.
Training Protocol
Clean the maze with water before starting the trial and during the delay period to avoid interfering olfactory cues. An external tracking and recording systems such as the Noldus Ethovision XT can be used to record pigs’ behavior during the task.
Before the shaping procedure, habituate the subjects with the experimenter and the maze for 3 weeks.
Pretraining (Shaping procedure)
Close the passage to one arm of the Delayed Non-Match to Sample task maze in random order. Place each pig in the start box and open the guillotine door leading to the start arm. Let the subject explore the maze. As the subject reaches the goal criteria, provide it the food reward in the choice arm. Guide the subject back to the start box and provide food reward again in the start box. Perform 10 trials each day for two consecutive days. Repeat procedure for 2 days, 10 trials per day until the subjects learn to reach the start box themselves. In each trial, provide the reward only when the subjects return to the start box on their own.
DNMS Testing Procedure
Perform the procedure in two steps sample phase and test phase. In the sample phase, close one arm of the maze and let the pig enter the start box. Open the middle guillotine door and wait until the subject moves towards the open arm. When the subject chooses the correct arm and returns to the start box, reward it with the food.
After a predetermined delay period begin the test phase. Keep both arms open and let each subject explore the maze for 180 seconds. Reward the subjects as they return to the start box after making the correct arm choice. Keep the pigs in the start box during the delay period or in their home pens for extended delay periods to reduce stress. Perform 5 consecutive trials on each group for 5 days.
Correction Training
Perform correction training for subjects that could not learn the DNMS task after a significant number of trials. Once the subject makes an incorrect choice during the test phase, force it to move back to the start box and repeat the procedure until it chooses the correct arm. Repeat the entire sample phase and test phase procedure for correction training. During correction trials, reward the subject only after it makes a correct choice during the test phase in the arm and the start box. Do not provide food reward for incorrect arm choices in the test phase or for entering the start box in the sample phase.
Evaluation of the effect of scopolamine on memory using DNMS task
Nielsen et al. (2009) evaluated memory dysfunction and the effects of scopolamine (anti-cholinergic drug) on the hypothalamus and related structures of pigs. Two groups of four Gottingen minipigs were used as subjects. One group was administered with normal saline 1M (control), and the other group was given 0.04 mg/Kg scopolamine. Both the groups were tested in the pig delayed non-match to sample (DNMS) task. The task demands the subjects to choose between the two arms of the maze based on novelty and memory recognition. The subjects were encouraged to choose the novel arm by providing food reward. Results revealed that the percentage of correct choices in control subjects decreased from 90% to 66.5% and 56% with an increase in time from 60-sec to 300 sec and 900-sec. The mean time to reach goal after normal saline administration was 16 sec, 21 sec and 13 sec at 60-sec, 300-sec and 900-sec delay, respectively. Scopolamine decreased the percentage of correct choices to 64% after 60-sec, 58.5% after 300-sec delay, and 48.5% after 900-sec delay. The mean time spent in reaching the goal raised to 45.5 sec with 300-sec delay and 40-sec with 900-sec delay.
Data Analysis
Following parameters are recorded by using the pig DNMS task
- Number of correct choices
- Percentage of correct choices
- Number of wrong choices
- Time spent in completing the task
- Time spent in reaching the goal
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
The pig DNMS task is an established test used for analyzing impaired cognitive behavior in different species of pigs. The task involves positive emotional conditioning to reinforce novelty preference in subjects. It is also used to study the effect of therapeutic agents on learning and memory. The pig DNMS task also has applications in evaluating memory dysfunctions such as Alzheimer’s disease. The presence of the start box in the maze reduces excessive handling of subjects.
Limitations
Olfactory cues can interfere with the task performance; therefore, proper cleaning of the apparatus is mandatory during trials. Task performance is training dependent. Improper handling and excessive training may result in stress in subjects. The task entails continuous experimenter intervention and monitoring.
Summary & Key Points
- The pig delayed non-match to sample (DNMS) task is used for analyzing the role of hippocampus and related structures in learning and memory.
- The pig DNMS task follows positive emotional conditioning method by rewarding the subjects with food on choosing the novel path.
- The task challenges the subjects to choose between two similar paths based on recognition memory.
- The pig DNMS task maze is useful for studying mechanisms behinds cognitive impairments in pigs and the development of therapeutic agents for neurological diseases.
- The task performance in the pig DNMS task maze is based on the training.
- The pig DNMS task includes continuous experimenter interventions during the test.
- The presence of olfactory cues can significantly impair task performance.
References
- Nielsen, T. R., Kornum, B. R., Moustgaard, A., Gade, A., Lind, N. M., & Knudsen, G. M. (2009). A novel spatial Delayed Non-Match to Sample (DNMS) task in the Göttingen minipig. Behavioural Brain Research, 196(1), 93-98. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2008.07.019
From the Maze Engineers documentation for this apparatus.
What is the recommended habituation period before beginning formal testing protocols?
A 3-week habituation period is recommended to allow subjects to become familiar with the apparatus environment before starting formal DNMS testing sessions.
How many trials are conducted during shaping versus formal testing phases?
Shaping protocols use 10 trials per day, while formal testing phases are conducted with 5 trials per day over 5 consecutive days.
What is the duration allowed for each test phase trial?
Each test phase trial allows 180 seconds for task completion, providing standardized temporal parameters for spatial decision-making assessment.
Can the maze accommodate different sizes of pig subjects?
The apparatus dimensions (4m x 3m x 1.2m height) with 1-meter wide arms are designed for adult pigs, though specific weight ranges should be confirmed based on individual research requirements.
What types of door control mechanisms are included?
The system includes both guillotine doors and swing doors for controlled access management, enabling precise movement control during different phases of the testing protocol.
How does this apparatus compare to rodent T-maze designs?
The design follows T-maze principles but is scaled for large animal research with enhanced spatial complexity and controlled access features not typically found in standard rodent mazes.
What type of reward system integration is supported?
The apparatus supports food reward delivery systems positioned within goal areas to maintain subject motivation through operant conditioning paradigms.
Is assembly documentation provided for proper setup?
Installation manuals and setup guides are included to ensure proper assembly of the modular components and correct spatial parameter verification.
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