Y-Maze

Yamazaki, K., Yamaguchi, M., Baranoski, L., Bard, J., Boyse, E.A. and Thomas, L. (1979) Recognition among mice Evidence from the use of a Y maze differentially scented by congenic mice of different major histocompatibility types. J. Exp. Med. 150, 755-760. 

Fig. 23.1 Results of the odor preference test in a Y-maze (A). Female mice carrying lesions in either the MOE (B) or VNO (C) were given a choice between volatile odors derived from an intact or a gonadectomized male...

A four-choice star maze, similar to that used by Kubie and Halpern (1978, 1979), was used as a two-choice Y maze for training the snakes. Snakes were trained to follow earthworm extract trails (IX = 6 gm earthworm per 20 ml dH20) in the apparatus until their performance exceeded chance behavior. (See Kubie and Halpern 1978 for details). At the termination of testing, snakes were videotaped during trailing at each earthworm concentration (IX, 1/9X, 1/8IX, Dry). Trials were repeated until a minimum of one minute of good, analyzable film had been obtained at each concentration. This usually involved one to three trials. For filming of animals from the side, a clear plastic maze of similar dimensions was used. 

In garter snakes Thamnophis sirtalis) a VNO-mediated stimulus can reinforce behavior dried earthworm wash or earthworm bits can be used to reward correct performance in a conditioned response to an arbitrary stimulus, such as dots versus stripes in a Y-maze (Halpern etal., 1985). In red-eared turtles the VNO is considered to involve aqueous chemoreception in water. Salt solutions and soluble vapor substances generated activity in the accessory olfactory bulb (Hatanaka and Hanada, 1987). 

Striped bass, Morone saxatilis, juveniles develop in estuaries, notably Hudson River and Chesapeake Bay. Juveniles school during the day but disperse and feed at night. Schools provide the advantages of improved prey location, predator avoidance, and swimming hydrodynamics. How are the fish attracted to each other In Y-maze tests in the laboratory, juveniles are attracted to both... 

Hatchling pine snzkes,Pituophismdanoleucus, ofthe Pine Barrens in New Jersey prefer mouse odor in a Y-maze more if they have been incubated at a higher temperature (33 °C versus 28 °C). Furthermore, experience plays a role in this species, too. Snakes that had eaten a mouse detect and follow a mouse odor trail, while naive snakes show no such response (Burger, 1991). 

Pine snake Pituophis melanoleucus King snake Body odor in Y-maze Avoidance Burger, 1989... 

Burger, J., Boarman, W., Kurzava, L. and Gochfeld, M. (1991). Effect of experience with pine (Pittwphis melanoleucus) and king (Lampropeltis getulus) snake odors on Y-maze behavior of pine snake hatchlings. Journal of Chemical Ecobgy 17,79-87. 

Conrad CD, Galea LAM, Kuroda Y, McEwen B (1996) Chronic stress impairs rat spatial memory on the y maze, and this effect is blocked by tianeptine pretreatment. Behav Neurosci 110 1321-1334... 

Wetzel W, Getsova VM, Jork R, et al Effect of serotonin on Y-maze retention and hippocampal protein synthesis in rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 12 319-322, 1980... 

Matsumoto, K., Hagiwara, R., Yoshida, R., Ito, Y, Maze], Z., Benkic, R, Zemva, B., Tamada, O., Yoshino, H., and Matsubara, S., Syntheses, structures and properties of l-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium salts of fluorocomplex anions, /. Chem. Soc. Dalton Trans., 144-149, 2004. 

Ranje C, Ungerstedt U (1977b) Lack of acquisition in dopamine denervated animals tested in an underwater Y-maze. Brain Res 754 95-111. 

After injection of 1.85 g sample to the cerebral ventricle on each of three consecutive days, passive avoidance testing on days 1 and 2 and Y-maze testing on days 3 and 4 were conducted. Learning and memory-retention ability of the mice were performed according to the method of Song (1), while spontaneous alternation behavior of mice in a Y-maze test was performed according to the method of Yamada (2). 

---