$4,900.00 – $9,900.00
MazeEngineers, in partnership with Simian Labs, is excited to introduce a cutting-edge virtual reality Radial Arm maze for researchers.
Our Virtual RAM Mazes seamlessly blend real-world and virtual components, allowing you to customize the VR environment to fit the specific needs of your experiment. The Simian Labs version offers the added flexibility of configuring multiple environments.
Simian Labs is a laboratory focused on developing innovative solutions in the field of technology and biotechnology. Specializing in research and development (R&D), Simian Labs works on projects that aim to integrate artificial intelligence with biology to create advanced tools that enhance the understanding of complex biological processes and enable significant advancements in areas such as medicine, pharmacology, and bioinformatics.
Full Package | |
Oculus Hardware | |
Personal Computer | |
VR headset | |
VR Sensor | |
Hand Held Controller | |
Simian Software online access: Radial Arm Maze; 2 Environments; 10 object pack | |
Online Configuration of experiment | |
Data Analysis Software: Path tracking; video replay; raw data |
Simian Only | |
Simian Software online access: Radial Arm Maze; 2 Environments; 10 object pack | |
Online Configuration of experiment | |
Data Analysis Software with path tracking; video replay; raw data |
The Radial Arm Maze (RAM) is a well-established tool for investigating spatial learning and memory in rodents. First introduced by Olton and Samuelson in 1976, it was designed to assess rodents’ ability to efficiently navigate and remember the locations of more than seven different arms during their initial eight choices. The maze capitalizes on rodents’ natural curiosity and their spatial memory, especially when motivated by rewards. Over the years, the Radial Arm Maze has become a cornerstone in behavioral neuroscience research due to its effectiveness in evaluating both working and reference memory, while minimizing stress on the subjects.
The challenge level of the Radial Arm Maze can be adjusted by altering the number of arms. The 3D Radial Arm Maze, an evolved version of the classic design, introduces complexity by removing safe spaces and incorporating adjustable, flexible arms. This version adds an aversive element through elevation and the absence of walled arms. Additionally, the water Radial Arm Maze merges features of the Morris Water Maze and the traditional RAM, creating a unique hybrid. The T-Maze and Y-Maze are other similar apparatuses used to study spatial learning and memory.
The Radial Arm Maze serves as an ideal task for the assessment of learning and memory deficits and observation of brain function. The classical rodentās radial arm maze task has been translated to humans using virtual radial arm mazes. The Virtual Radial Arm Maze has been used in studies relating to spatial learning and memory performances in individuals with neuropsychiatric illnesses. In their study of patients with Bulimia Nervosa using the virtual RAM,Ā Cyr et al., 2016Ā observed that Bulimia Nervosa patients showed the abnormal functioning of the anterior hippocampus and frontostriatal regions. Another study evaluated the performance of Schizophrenics in a rewarded virtual Radial Arm Maze task.Ā Spieker et al. (2016)Ā tested Schizophrenic patients treated with antipsychotics on a desktop virtual RAM task. On comparison of maze performance with healthy controls, Schizophrenic participants were seen having decreased latencies to the rewards. The patients also made comparatively more working and reference errors.
The Virtual Radial Arm Task has also been used in understanding the role of gender and age in the navigational task performance.Ā Levy et al. (2005)Ā used a 12-arm virtual Radial Arm Maze to evaluate the spatial learning in men and women. Their investigation showed no difference in performance. The lack of difference was attributed to the superior object memory of women which, they believed, enabled them to associate the arms of the maze with specific extra-maze cues.
The Radial Arm Maze is also used in studying brain activity. In their investigation,Ā IglĆ³i et al. (2015)Ā probed the role of the cerebellum in human spatial navigation. Another study byĀ Demanuele et al. (2015)Ā used a delayed win-shift virtual Radial Arm Maze task to investigate cognition and cognitive disturbances in humans. Investigation of brain activity in tasks such as the Radial Arm Maze allows understanding of how different parts of the brain operate and contribute to an individualās learning and memory abilities.
Participants are informed of the experimental process beforehand. Participants comfortability with the technology used for the investigation is also noted, as this could be a potential influencer on the performance. Ancillary tests may also be part of the investigation.
The general procedure of the virtual Radial Arm Maze can involve the following tasks.
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Along with these trials, probe trials are also included. Often matched control trials also accompany these tasks. Control trials are designed to isolate a process of interest in the task performance. These trials may have a slight variation in spatial cues or may eliminate spatial cues altogether. They can also restrict the area of exploration. Further, these tasks could also be designed to include false hints or cues to test memory and strategy. The overall task, however, remains the same as the matched trials.
The Radial Arm Maze offers a range of choices and its difficulty can be adjusted by changing the number of arms or the type and number of cues provided. This maze is primarily employed to investigate spatial memory and learning, utilizing various protocols like the win-shift or win-stay tasks. To boost participant motivation, virtual rewards and punishments can be integrated alongside physical ones.
The behavioral data measures can include the following,
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Based on the requirements of the investigation fMRI data may also be recorded. Other measures (relevant to the investigation) may include assessment of stress, anxiety and heart rate levels, among others. Ancillary questionnaires may also be used to further refine the data and the understanding of the task performance.
The Virtual Radial Arm Maze tests participants’ place learning abilities by evaluating their skill in discriminating, remembering, and processing spatial information as they navigate the maze. Unlike the Morris Water Maze, the Radial Arm Maze features fixed pathways for traversal and does not rely on aversive stimuli, such as those found in virtual elevated T-Mazes. This maze can be customized to restrict certain strategies and incorporate inter-trial delays to better assess memory capabilities. The lack of significant stressors and the opportunity for participants to become familiar with the maze prior to testing help ensure accurate measurements of both working and reference memory.
However, variability in the virtual Radial Arm Maze design across different studies may affect result consistency. Factors such as participants’ comfort with the technology and virtual environment, as well as their mental and emotional states, can influence performance. Additionally, demographic factors like age and gender may impact outcomes. Compared to other behavioral tasks, the Radial Arm Maze might require more time to complete.
Bauer JA, Claus Henn B, Austin C, Zoni S, Fedrighi C, Cagna G, Placidi D, White RF, Yang Q, Coull BA, Smith D, Lucchini RG, Wright RO, Arora M (2017).Ā Manganese in teeth and neurobehavior: Sex-specific windows of susceptibility.Ā Environ Int. 108:299-308. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2017.08.013.
Cyr M, Wang Z, Tau GZ, Zhao G, Friedl E, Stefan M, Terranova K, Marsh R (2016).Ā Reward-Based Spatial Learning in Teens With Bulimia Nervosa. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 55(11):962-971.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2016.07.778.
Demanuele C, BƤhner F, Plichta MM, Kirsch P, Tost H, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Durstewitz D (2015).Ā A statistical approach for segregating cognitive task stages from multivariate fMRI BOLD time series. Front Hum Neurosci. 9:537. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00537.
IglĆ³i K, Doeller CF, Paradis AL, Benchenane K, Berthoz A, Burgess N, Rondi-Reig L (2015).Ā Interaction Between Hippocampus and Cerebellum Crus I in Sequence-Based but not Place-Based Navigation. Cereb Cortex. 25(11):4146-54. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhu132.
Levy LJ, Astur RS, Frick KM (2005).Ā Men and women differ in object memory but not performance of a virtual radial maze.Ā Behav Neurosci.119(4):853-62.
Migo EM, OāDaly O, Mitterschiffthaler M, Antonova E, Dawson GR, Dourish CT, Craig KJ, Simmons A, Wilcock GK, McCulloch E, Jackson SH, Kopelman MD, Williams SC, Morris RG (2016).Ā Investigating virtual reality navigation in amnestic mild cognitive impairment using fMRI.Ā Neuropsychol Dev Cogn B Aging Neuropsychol Cogn. 23(2):196-217. doi: 10.1080/13825585.2015.1073218.
Olton, D.S., Samuelson, R.J. (1976) Remembrance of places passed: Spatial memory in rats. J. Exper. Psych. Animal Behav. Processes 2, 97-116
Raiesdana S (2018).Ā Modeling the interaction of navigational systems in a reward-based virtual navigation task. J Integr Neurosci.;17(1):45-67. doi: 10.3233/JIN-170036.
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