SPONTANEOUS-ALTERNATION, MOTOR-ACTIVITY, AND SPATIAL-LEARNING IN HOT-FOOT MUTANT MICE

Hot-foot mutant mice, characterized by defective innervation of Purkin je cells and an ataxic gait, were less active than normal mice in a T- maze. In spontaneous alternation testing with either single or multipl e trials, hot-foot mutants, contrary to normal mice, did not alternate above chance. Moreover, the mutants had a higher number of errors and higher escape latencies in a water-filled Z-maze. These results indic ate that in addition to motor coordination deficits, these cerebellar mutants have deficits in spatial learning and perseverate choices of m aze arms.