DRUG EFFECTS IN A RADIAL MAZE DESIGNED FOR DISSOCIATION OF CUES USED BY MICE

Scopolamine and amphetamine effects were investigated in a new radial maze. Three distinct procedures were designed to dissociate the use, b y C57BL/6 mice, of the different cues available: a procedure where onl y spatial information was available, a procedure in which both spatial cues and olfactory trails were present, and a nonconfinement procedur e where mice could use spatial cues, olfactory trails, and/or algorith mic strategies. We found that while scopolamine impaired performance o n the maze in all three procedures, amphetamine tended to improve solv ing of the maze problem, but only in the procedure where spatial cues alone were available. The results are discussed in relation to hypothe ses concerning these drug effects.