BALB/c mice are not so bad in the Morris water maze

We compared the learning performances of BALB/c mice subjected to the Morri s water spatial task under two different lighting conditions. In the first one, the experimental room was lit by neon tubes (direct and bright illumin ation) and in the second one by a halogen lamp directed to the roof (diffus e illumination). The scores of BALB/c mice in the diffuse illumination cond ition clearly demonstrated that these mice could learn to escape to a hidde n platform while they could not under direct illumination condition. Moreov er, they were able to acquire the task by means of spatial cues. These resu lts are interpreted in terms of a decrease of anxiety levels. (C) 2000 Else vier Science B.V. All rights reserved.