Title: Standard Operating Procedure – Paired-Associate Learning (PAL)
Author: MouseTRAP Team
Date: 11/28/2023
Version: 2
Abstract: In humans, the visual-spatial PAL task has been used to establish the early onset of cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease. The test is performed in mice with specially designed touchscreen-based automated chambers with 3 response locations (left, right and centre windows) and 3 distinct images using food reinforcers to maintain performance. Each image is assigned a unique correct location (and 2 incorrect locations). The PAL task requires the subject to learn to associate a food reward with a nose-poke response when an image appears in its correct location.
DOI: 10.58064/xqtm-yw05
Link to Full SOP: mPAL-v2
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Version Notes
[DATE]: Version [#]
- Adjusted the After reward pause from 5s to 10s
- Reasoning is explained at the end of the SOP, but was based on fibre photometry recordings that demonstrated mice needed more time to baseline
- Included an additional formula for more data we can analyze: Premature Responses
- Added another method to run the stimulus duration probe
- Clarified details about the Inter Trial Interval
- Specifically, we made it clearer that the ITI is variable, rather than a constant duration between each trial