The 5-choice serial reaction time task: a task of attention and impulse control for rodents
Abstract
This protocol describes the 5-choice serial reaction time task, which is an operant based task used to study attention and impulse control in rodents. Test day challenges, modifications to the standard task, can be used to systematically tax the neural systems controlling either attention or impulse control. Importantly, these challenges have consistent effects on behavior across laboratories in intact animals and can reveal either enhancements or deficits in cognitive function that are not apparent when rats are only tested on the standard task. The variety of behavioral measures that are collected can be used to determine if other factors (i.e., sedation, motivation deficits, locomotor impairments) are contributing to changes in performance. The versatility of the 5CSRTT is further enhanced because it is amenable to combination with pharmacological, molecular, and genetic techniques.
Repository Citation
Asinof, S.K. and T.A. Paine. August 10, 2014. "The 5-choice serial reaction time task: a task of attention and impulse control for rodents." Journal of Visualized Experiments (90): e51574.
Publisher
Journal of Visualized Experiments
Publication Date
8-10-2014
Publication Title
Journal of Visualized Experiments
Department
Neuroscience
Document Type
Article
DOI
https://dx.doi.org/10.3791/51574
Keywords
Neuroscience, Attention, Impulse control, Cognition
Language
English
Format
text
