5- Choice serial reaction time test

Three other main test paradigms have been used that appear to expose the possible attentional dysfunction following manipulations of DA-ergic function latent inhibition prepulse inhibition and continuous performance (the five-choice serial reaction time task) - all notable for their correspondence to similar tests for human subjects. Curiously, the main emphasis of these investigations has been on mesolimbic rather than mesostriatal systems. 

Puumala and Sirvio (1998) investigated whether differences in the function of monoaminergic systems could account for the variability in attention and impulsive behaviour between rats tested in the five-choice serial reaction time task. Following training the rats were decapitated and the levels of dopamine, noradrenaline and other substances determined. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that the indices of utilization of serotonin in the left frontal cortex and dopamine in the right frontal cortex together accounted for 49% of the variability in attentional performance between subjects. 

Research work into clinical conditions such as attention deficit disorder has investigated performance of tasks such as serial and choice reaction time tests, and the relation of these to other areas of psychometric functioning. Information from tests to assess the effects of mild head trauma and other brain disorders, and tests and investigations used in demyelinating conditions, could also be studied to see what information they provide on the relationship of known functional deficit to test results. 

Fig. 8. Nine-hole box test apparatus for assessing serial and choice reaction time. A. Perspective view. B. Schematic plan view.

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