Measurement notes
Define arm entry by all four paws, center-point crossing, or centroid threshold before scoring. Report total entries because animals with very few entries can have misleading alternation percentages.
Endpoint methods library
Spatial working memory endpoint
Y-maze spontaneous alternation
Percentage of consecutive arm-entry triplets in which an animal enters all three arms without repetition.
Unit
percent alternation
Readout
Alternating triplets divided by possible triplets, multiplied by 100
Assays
Y-maze free alternation, working memory screens, exploratory behavior studies
Decision summary
Use Y-maze spontaneous alternation when the study needs a short, low-training working-memory readout. Interpret the percentage with total arm entries, arm bias, locomotion, and entry definitions because low activity can make alternation unstable.
| Primary value | Alternating triplets divided by possible triplets, multiplied by 100 |
|---|---|
| Common units | Percent spontaneous alternation, total entries, arm-bias measures |
| Compatible assays | Y-maze free alternation, working memory screens, exploratory behavior studies |
| Required boundary | Arm-entry definition, session duration, maze geometry, and formula denominator |
| Do not infer alone | Working memory, exploration, anxiety, or perseveration without activity context |
Interpretation limit
Lower alternation can support impaired working memory or perseveration, but low locomotion, anxiety-like avoidance, arm odor, start-arm bias, maze geometry, and entry-scoring rules can drive the result.
Data capture
Store animal ID, arm-entry sequence, total entries, possible alternations, actual alternations, percent alternation, arm occupancy, start arm, session duration, tracking method, and exclusions.
Confound checks
- Low total arm entries makes percent alternation unstable.
- Arm odor, lighting, spatial cues, or cleaning creates arm preference.
- Entry definition differs between manual and automated scoring.
- Hyperactivity or hypoactivity changes opportunity for alternation.
- Start-arm assignment, maze rotation, or prior exposure is unbalanced.
Reporting checklist
- Maze dimensions, arm labels, lighting, spatial cues, cleaning, and start-arm rule.
- Session duration, entry definition, tracking method, and scorer blinding.
- Raw arm-entry sequence, total entries, actual alternations, possible alternations, and percent alternation.
- Arm occupancy, arm bias, distance traveled, speed, and exclusion criteria.
- Formula denominator and handling of animals with fewer than three entries.
- Prior maze exposure, treatment timing, sex, strain, age, and circadian timing.
References
Evidence notes
Endpoint pages should cite the method literature behind the scored value and keep high-specificity protocol claims qualified unless the source supports them.
Related workflow paths
Endpoint articles link to adjacent products, software workflows, and sibling endpoints where the connection is useful and already routable.
