Antidiabetic treatment on memory and spatial learning: From the pancreas to the neuron

Table 1 Experimental trials for the evaluation of cognitive capacity and memory impairment on rodent study populations

Type of test	Method of operation
Y-Maze Spontaneous Alternation	Evaluates willingness of subjects to explore new paths on a 3-arm structure with each pathway angled at 120°
Morris Water Maze	Evaluates spatial and long-term memory by testing the escape capacity and velocity of subjects on a water tank
Passive avoidance	Evaluates learning and memory integrity by introducing aversive stimuli
Rotarod	Evaluates balance and motor coordination by assessing the ability of the subject to remain standing on a rotating cylinder
Open field	Evaluates willingness of subjects to explore new paths, anxiety and motor coordination though observing the subject’s movement patterns on a walled-off area
Novel object recognition	Evaluates recognition memory though habituation of test subjects with novel objects and subsequent evaluation of their capacity to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar.