Elsevier

Vision Research

Volume 40, Issue 16, 1 July 2000, Pages 2201-2209
Vision Research

Behavioral assessment of visual acuity in mice and rats

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0042-6989(00)00081-XGet rights and content
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Abstract

We have developed a simple computer-based discrimination task that enables the quick determination of visual acuities in rodents. A grating is displayed randomly on one of two monitors at the wide end of a trapezoidal-shaped tank containing shallow water. Animals are trained to swim toward the screens, and at a fixed distance, choose the screen displaying the grating and escape to a submerged platform hidden below it. Both mice and rats learn the task quickly. Performance falls below 70% when the spatial frequency is increased beyond 0.5 cycles in most C57BU6 mice, and around 1.0 cycles per degree (cpd) in Long–Evans rats.

Keywords

Visual acuity
Rodent
Mouse
Rat
Water maze

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