Barnes Maze (Panlab)
- Platform made with non reflective perpex material for video-tracking systems
- Do not retain odours
- Rotating platform
- Goal box with ramp
- Provided with starting cylinder and false goal boxes
Basically, the animal is placed in a brightly lit environment, on the top of the Barnes maze, which consists of a large round open platform provided with a fixed number of peripheral holes. In such an open environment, rats naturally seek a dark enclosed surrounding, which is provided in the form of a dark box (goal box) under one of the round holes around the perimeter of the platform. The amount of time required for the animal to locate the goal box using visuo-spatial cues surrounding the maze periphery is measured by the researcher.
The fact that the experiment is conducted with no dietary restrictions and less stress makes of this test an interesting alternative to the radial maze and water maze test for its use in the behavioural phenotyping of genetically-modified mice.
Panlab provides different models of Barnes mazes for rat and mouse, with different floor color and goal/false box options:
- Basic Barnes maze includes: 1 or 2 floor colors, rotating floor, 1 goal box (fixed location) and 1 starting cylinder
- Full/Flexible Barnes maze includes: 3 floor colors, rotating floor, 1 starting cylinder, 1 goal box and the corresponding number of false boxes. Additional goal boxes can be used for more advanced memory tasks (to be purchased separately). Goal/false boxes can be freely positioned beneath any hole.