Memory in Domestic RabbitsGillian Fralick

Introduction Research questions:

Long Term Memory Is the long term memory of a domestic

rabbit able to retain a complex maze pattern over the course of several weeks?

Short Term Memory Do domestic rabbits have a short term

memory that allows for identification of novel objects in their environment?

Background“Habituation in rodents: A review of behavior, neurobiology, and genetics”

Melanie P. Leussis, Valerie J. Bolivar Goes into the neurobiology and genetics of how habituation

occurs at different levels through the use of neurochemical, morphological, and genetic factors.

Habituation would result in decreased exploratory and motor activity over repeated exposures to the test environment.

There are four major transmitters that influence habituation: serotonin, acetylcholine, dopamine, and glutamate. Serotonin- modulates short-term habituation Acetylcholine- plays a role in learning and memory Dopamine- Intrasession habituation Glutamate- memory retention

BackgroundA. Ennaceur, S. Michalikova, P.L. Chazot

The researchers tested to see whether rats express neophobia (the fear of anything new) towards novel objects.

Rats were exposed to either an enclosed space or an open space that either did or did not have an object for a set of successive sessions.

Rats exposed to an unfamiliar environment did venture into the center of the field of an open space and they did make more entries and spent more time in the center of the field of an open space and enclosed space when it is occupied by an object.

Direct exposure to an object recognition task without previous habituation show that in the enclosed space and in the open space rats spent more time on corners occupied with an object than on empty corners.

Background“Effects of Level of Motivation on Visual Discrimination, Transfer of Learning, and Long-Term Memory in Previously Undernourished and Control Rats”

J.M. Celedon, J.L. Smart, and J. Dobbing Rats were trained in the discrimination which they had been

habituated to. They were trained to discriminate between black and white, where white was the positive stimulus. They were rewarded by being allowed to drink from the water tube for 10 s.

Long-term memory was tested by discriminating between vertical and horizontal stripes and noting the performance without training.

Results indicate that under nutrition had lasting effects on memory and those rats required more trials to reach the learning criterion of 80%. It also seemed to impair visual discrimination performance.

Background“Exploratory behavior of rats in mazes of different area and structural complexity”Uster, H.

There were six groups containing six rats in each. They were all exposed to the six mazes for a total of six minutes. This occurred for a total of six consecutive days with a two day break at the end. The rats were then retested.

Rats have a tendency to direct their exploratory activity towards a more detailed investigation of special parts of the mazes during the course of repeated exposures.

Results: Decrease of decision frequency and increase of transition times.. The first run was characterized by stereotyped pacing off with only

one u-turn and relatively constant velocity, the run after 6 days showed many u-turns and much more complex locomotion behavior.

As a consequence of increasing experience, the rat is disposed to investigae these parts in greater detal.

Methods Materials:

4 Holland Lop does 4 Dutch does Camcorder Stopwatch Multiple-T maze (bottom made of cardboard, sides made of

foam board. Hooked together with zip ties and gold fasteners. Hole punch and knife used)

2 softballs 1 trilobite fossil 3 2”x 2” colored pieces of foam board Shredded Wheat Travel carrier

Methods: Multiple-T Maze The rabbits were tested for three weeks on 2 consecutive days

(Wednesdays-Thursdays for the Holland Lops and Saturdays-Sundays for the Dutch) at as close to the same time each day as possible.

Due to the two breeds being located in two separate locations, the maze was transported to both places and put together in the same room throughout the experiment.

The rabbits were brought to the testing room (which was not a natural setting for them)

Methods: Novel Object Test The rabbit was placed in an unfamiliar environment

that was same for each rabbit. For three minutes, the rabbit was in the environment with two neon softballs located on the same side of the rectangle but in opposite corners. While in this setting, the rabbit was able to move freely. After the time was up, the rabbit was removed as well as one of the softballs. The softball was replaced with a trilobite fossil. The rabbit was then replaced in the environment for another three minutes. Observations were noted on what the rabbit did during this time.

Results: Multiple-T MazeDutch

Name First Day Second Day HSD91 9:02:09 4:11:19 HSC66 20:00:72 7:28:66

HSD165 14:59:16 8:05:31 KT737 8:40:82 4:48:25 HSD91 8:28:41 6:17:56 HSC66 6:50:00 5:47:03

HSD165 2:26:28 1:20:37 KT737 2:42:16 2:23:88 HSD91 4:30:13 4:36:38 HSC66 5:26:00 3:10:18

HSD165 2:47:32 4:44:16 KT737 3:13:72 3:43:00

Holland Lops Name First Day Second Day

Bridgette 24:00:00 5:37:41 Babe 4:28:09 2:29:28 Paris 7:53:77 6:43:97

Scarlett 31:35:00 8:03:28 Bridgette 7:47:23 5:29:32

Babe 2:48:69 1:45:72 Paris 6:47:96 10:29:97

Scarlett 11:20:32 6:30:29 Bridgette 3:16:88 3:39:91

Babe 3:13:38 1:43:37 Paris 4:38:63 5:10:28

Scarlett 4:02:91 5:54:47

Week One

Week Two

Week Three

Results: Video of maze

Results: Novel Object Test It was observed that the rabbits were

unresponsive to the change of objects used in the test. The test has been deemed inconclusive to the study of memory in this experiment.

Discussion: Multiple-T Maze While in the maze, when it was observed that the

rabbits were no longer engaged, they were tapped in a means to regain their focus. It was not in a manner that would persuade them to go any direction, just to get their attention back on the task at hand. Similarly, when it was observed that they had in a sense “shutdown”, they were tapped as well.

A few of the rabbits were marking the corners of the maze as they went along. Observation of this behavior noted that it was not in any way meant to help guide them through the maze, but to just claim it as their own in a possessive manner.

Limitations Sample size Equipment specifications/design Time Location of rabbits/maze Handling of rabbits

Future Research Use the same multiple-t maze design on

a daily basis Test all of the domestic rabbit breeds Compare to wild rabbits Use short-term memory experiments

that the rabbits will respond to

Works CitedCeledon, J., Smart, J., & Dobbing, J. (1982, January). Effects of Level of Motivation on Visual

Discrimination, Transfer of Learning, and Long-Term Memory in Previously Undernourished and Control Rats. Nutrition and Behavior, pp. 89-97.

Ennaceur, A., Michalikova, S., & Chazot, P. (2009). Do rats really express neophobia towards novel objects? Experimental evidence from exposure to novelty and to an object recognition task in an open space and an enclose space. Behavioural Brain Research, pp. 417-434.

Leussis, M. P., & Bolivar, V. J. (2006, January 17). Habituation in rodents: A review of behavior, neurobiology, and genetics. Science Direct, pp. 1045-1064.

Uster, H. (1977, January). Exploratory behavior of rats in mazes of different area and structural complexity. Activitas nervosa superior, p. 237.