Figure 2. Sca1^154Q/2Q Mice Reared on Lithium-Containing Chow Have Improved Learning and Memory Functions.

(A and B) Performance of nine- to 11-week old mice on the Morris hidden-platform water maze. Sca1^154Q/2Q mice on the control diet (Cont KI) learned more slowly than those given lithium (Li KI). In a 60 s probe trial (B), Cont KI spent significantly less time in the training quadrant than Li KI (p = 0.012 by multiple comparisons using Scheffe's post hoc test), whereas Li KI spent similar amounts of time in the training quadrant compared to wild-type mice given lithium (Li WT) (p = 0.770) or wild-type mice on the control diet (Cont WT) (p = 0.847).

(C and D) Pavlovian conditioned fear for Sca1^154Q/2Q (KI) and wild-type (WT) mice treated with lithium (Li) or fed control chow (Cont). Percentage of time spent in freezing behavior during the contextual test (C) and the cued test (D) is shown.

(E) Open-field activity for Sca1^154Q/2Q mice. Locomotor activity of lithium-treated and untreated mutant mice was measured two weeks after the conditioned fear test. Each panel indicates total distance traveled (left graph) and time spent moving (right graph). All data are shown as mean ± SEM.