Evaluación de preferencia por la forma o la textura de dos tipos de objetos en ratas Wistar

Abstract

!e object recognition task, based on the ethological paradigm of novel preference, has been used as model for testing episo- dic memory processes in rats. In this model, it is assumed that this preference depends on the novelty of the object; although the e"ect of the features of the objects on this preference has not been veri�ed yet. In order to test this assumption, two experiments were carried out. In the �rst one, sixteen rats were exposed simultaneously to di"erent objects with di"e- rent shape and texture. In the second one, �#een animals were exposed to two objects that only di"er in their texture. Percentages of frequency and time of interaction with the object were recorded. !ere were no signi�cant di"erences in these measures in both experiments. Based in these results we conclude that the preference observed in the object recognition task it is not primarily caused by the shapes or the textures of the objects. !ese results suggest that the use of these featu- res are pertinent for testing the episodic memory in rats.