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. 2023 Jun 6;10:1164809. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1164809

Figure 1.

Figure 1

The experimental flowchart and correct/incorrect spots on the touchscreen in each phase. (A) Experimental flowchart. After the inter-trial interval, four spots were displayed on the touchscreen, and then, the trial began. When the mouse first chose (by nose-poking) the correct spot, it was rewarded and proceeded to the next trial. If the mouse chose incorrect spots, the touchscreen displayed the four spots again after a timeout. The trial continued until the mouse chooses the correct spot (dotted line). (B) Behavioral sequencing task: each spot on the correct diagonal (white line) is repeatedly changed from an active (correct) spot (orange circles) to an inactive (incorrect) spot (orange dotted line circle) in every trial. This session of this exchange is repeated until 150 trials are completed. The two spots on the other diagonal line (blue circle) are incorrect diagonal spots. (C) Experimental procedure. Acclimatization took 7 days. Reversal learning: the mice were rewarded only when they choose the active spot on the correct diagonal line, for example, diagonal 1. In the next phase, the correct diagonal line was replaced by the other line (diagonal 2), which was the previously incorrect diagonal line. In the first acquisition phase, mice performed at diagonal 1 (or 2) for 10 sessions, and in the next Reversal 1 (Rev. 1) and mice performed at diagonal 2 (or 1) for 8 sessions. The exchange of the correct diagonal lines was repeated every eight sessions. Whenever mice performed the acquisition phase on diagonal 1, they performed it on diagonal 2 in Rev. 1, 3, and 5, and then again back on diagonal 1 in Rev. 2, 4, and 6. Diagonal 1 and diagonal 2 were alternated to evaluate the behavior of reversal. (D) The definition of the first choice behavior pattern following correct spot choice. “Diagonal move” indicates a move from an active spot to the next active spot in the correct diagonal. “Re-entry” indicates a move from an active spot to the next inactive spot (previous active spot) in the correct diagonal. “Adjacent move” indicates a move from an active spot to an incorrect diagonal spot.