T-Maze Spontaneous Alternation Assay

T-maze spontaneous alternation is an established assay to assess cognitive performance in rodents [40 (link)]. The alternation performance is drastically reduced with administration of drugs such as Scopolamine and this effect is reversible with cognitive-enhancing [41 (link), 42 (link)] drugs. The T-maze assay and apparatus has been described previously [43 (link)]. Seven groups of mice (n = 10) were used: (1) Vehicle + Saline; (2) Vehicle + Scopolamine; (3) Scopolamine + Donepezil (0.3 mg/kg); (4) Scopolamine + Atomoxetine (3 mg/kg); (5) Scopolamine + Moxonidine (0.1 mg/kg); (6) Scopolamine + Moxonidine (0.3 mg/kg) and (7) Scopolamine + Moxonidine (1 mg/kg). Scopolamine, Atomoxetine, and Donepezil were used at 1, 3, and 0.3 mg/kg, respectively. All compounds were dissolved in saline and were administered with Scopolamine using i.p. injection 30 min prior to the assay except for donepezil which was administrated p.o. 60 min prior to assay. (Scopolamine and Atomoxetine: Sigma-Aldrich, Saint-Quentin-Fallavier, France; Donepezil: Tocris Biotechene, Noyal Chatillon sur Seiche, France).