Set up apparatus and begin acquisition testing

Place rat into water with its head pointed toward the side of pool. The starting position should be at a different, and randomized, location each day of testing— north, south, and so forth. 

Record time (in seconds) it takes the rat to find the submerged platform. Guide rat to platform on first few trials if it requires 120 sec. 

A tracking camera, posihoned - 200 cm above the center of the pool can be used to quantify the distance swam on each trial and thereby determine swimming speed when combined with latency measurements. The tracking system can also display swim path and distance and proved additional informahon on search efficiency and exploration patterns during acquisition and probe trials. This equipment and associated computer software can be obtained from several commercial manufacturers. 

Allow rat to remain on platform for 10 to 15 sec. This allows the rat time to return to an appropriate place at the side of the water pool to be ready for Step 6. 

Release rat into pool (from same location) with platform in same location. Record time for rat to find platform. 

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