The program can be used very flexibly. It is up to the
tutor to set suitable objectives but the program can be used to:
- learn about dementia and associated drug therapies
- inform about memory, different mazes and the detailed operation
of a water maze
- provide information, help and practice in the design of experiments
- generate data from control and treated animals performing in a
water maze
- guide students in the statistical analysis of such data
- help in the interpretation of water maze data.
The program explains the importance of memory defects, illustrates
different types of maze and gives a detailed description of the
nature and use of a water maze. The integral simulation allows generation
of data on the performance in the water maze of rats given various
treatments (vehicle, scopolamine, neostigmine, physostigmine, hydergine
or any of 6 unknowns). Groups of 6 rats are tested on each of four
days and individual data on latency (time required to find refuge),
path length (distance swum) and swim speed are presented. Help is
given with interpretation and statistical analysis. Students are
shown how to calculate means (S.E.M.), simple and paired Student's
t-tests and how to apply non-parametric statistics (the rank test;
Wilcoxin or Mann-Whitney). |