European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

ASSESSMENT OF HIPPOCAMPAL MEMORY AND LEARNING BEHAVIOURS IN ALBINO WISTAR RATS USING PASSIVE AVOIDANCE BOX TECHNIQUE

*Olorunfemi O.J., Asara Azibalua A. and Umana K. T.

ABSTRACT

The study was designed to assess the hippocampal memory and learning behaviours in rats using passive avoidance box technique and scopolamine after which the rats underwent carry some memory and learning tests such as Barnes maze test, Navigational maze task, elevated plus maze and beam walk test. Twenty albino wistar rats were grouped into four groups which comprises of the control group, mild shock group, moderate shock group and scopolamine group with five rats per group. Group A (control) was given clean water and feed, Group B was given mild shock (2 times) using passive avoidance box, Group C was given moderate shock (3times) using passive avoidance box and group D was given 0.1ml/kg Scopolamine daily after which they underwent a total of nine (9) trials of some memory and learning tests which include: elevated plus maze, Barnes maze, beam walk test and navigational task. The results collected were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 22.0 statistical package. The descriptive characteristics we're expressed as mean and standard deviation. The repeated measured of ANOVA and Post-Hoc analysis technique were used in the comparison of the control group and other groups. The significance level of the groups were set at P>0.05. From result obtained, it can be seen that mild and moderate shock and scopolamine had a positive effect on the hippocampal memory and learning behaviour by increasing the response in the first three trials with the moderate shock having the highest-effect.

Keywords: hippocampal memory, scopolamine, passive avoidance box, shock, maze task.