Look to Campden Instruments and Lafayette Instrument Company for a "Science above Hardware" approach not found from any other supplier. The fully validated chambers described below are supported by ready to run ABET II Touch Paradigms including images, and a Whisker^R Server-based Controller for up to four test chambers. Plus, we provide the ability for the user to write their own scheduling, with web-based training. ABET II Touch software gives you ease of use, programming power, data analysis, versatility, and flexibility.

• Not just a touch screen, everything about the Bussey-Saksida chamber is different
• Not just another square sheet metal box, the Bussey-Saksida chamber has a unique trapezoidal wall shape to focus the animal’s attention and is made from machined parts that simply slot together. The chamber can also be configured to a modular square chamber with panels, levers, lights, and a range of other operator
• This equipment can run both autoshaping and a variety of operant tasks in the same chamber, with chamber configuration from autoshaping to one of the other proven paradigms in seconds Not just a touch screen, this is the ultimate modular chamber for high throughput. For example, do Visual Discrimination and Reversal in the morning and Five Choice Serial Reaction Time Task in the afternoon
• To enable such a high throughput, the chamber can be taken apart and reassembled in seconds for easy cleaning

• Get up and running quickly, with the Easy-Install Kit and buy proven tasks pre-programmed in ABET II Touch or get programming yourself quickly and easily with web-enabled online help from Campden Instruments and Lafayette Instrument Company
• Translational research: test rodents on tasks virtually identical to tasks used to test human populations
• The Bussey-Saksida Chambers and WhiskerServer R originate from the department of Prof. Trevor Robbins, Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, England

The Touch Screen Paradigms:

•  Visual Discrimination and Reversal (VDR)
•  Paired Associate Learning (PAL)
•  Location Discrimination Learning (LD)
•  Visuospatial Conditional Learning (VCL)
•  5-choice Serial Reaction Time Task (5-CSRT)
•  Trial-Unique Nonmatching-to-Location (TUNL) [rat only at this time]
•  Autoshaping
•  Extinction

Visual Discrimination and Reversal Task (VDR)
Age-related impairments in the R6/2 Huntington’s disease mouse model

Morton, Skillings, Bussey & Saksida (2006) Nature Methods

Paired Associate Learning Task (PAL)
Intra-hippocampal infusions of MK-801 impair performance of the PAL task

But perhaps the most promising data from this task comes from our studies using donepezil, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that is a commonly prescribed drug for AD in the UK.  Donepezil enhanced performance on PAL in a dose-dependent manner. This result shows that PAL is able to detect cognitive enhancements, as well as impairments.

Location Discrimination Learning Task (LD)

McTighe, Mar, Romberg, Bussey & Saksida (2009) NeuroReport

Neurogenesis knock-down impairs pattern separation in the Location Discrimination Task

Clelland, Choi, Romberg, Clemenson, Fragniere, Tyers, Jessberger,  Saksida, Barker, Gage & Bussey (2009) Science

Dorsal hippocampal lesions impair pattern separation in the Location Discrimination Task

McTighe, Mar, Romberg, Bussey & Saksida (2009) NeuroReport

 Autoshaping

Impairments in Autoshaping (Pavlovian approach) following posttraining injections of the dopamine D1 antagonist SCH23390 or the NMDA antagonist AP-5.

Optional Accessories
	Pellet Dispenser with 45mg Interchangable Pellet Size Wheel  Model 80209-45 The most reliable pellet dispenser available. Features powerful motor drive with optical stops and optional pellet drop detection.
	ABET II Software for Touch Screen  Model 89505 Operant monitoring and control software for use with the TouchScreen modular hardware.
	Peristalic Pump for Liquid Reward  Model 80204 An electronically controlled pump for precise delivery of liquids.
	Two-choice Visual Discrimination Reversal for Rats  Model 89540-R The task involves learning that one of two shapes displayed simultaneously on the screen is correct. Touching the correct stimuli will be rewarded by delivery of food to the reward tray.
	Paired-Associate Learning Task - PAL - for Rats  Model 89541-R In humans this task has proved to be highly effective for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. In the PAL task for rodents, rats learn and remember which of three objects goes in which of three spatial locations.
	Visuomotor Conditional Learning - VMCL - for Rats  Model 89542-R This is a habit or stimulus-response task in which the rodent learns a rule of the type If shape A presented, respond to the left location; if shape B is presented, respond to the right location.
	5-choice Serial Reaction Time Task - 5-CSRT - for Rats  Model 89543-R This task requires the rodent to respond to a brief visual stimulus presented randomly in one of 5 locations.
	Trial-unique Nonmatching-to-Location Task - TUNL - for Rats  Model 89545-R TUNL can be thought of as a version of delayed nonmatching-to-place, usually carried out in a conventional Skinner box with levers, in which the rats are presented with a sample location and, following a delay, are presented with two choice locations.
	Spatial Discrimination and Reversal Learning - SpatDiPS - for Rats  Model 89546-R
	Autoshaping for Rats  Model 89544-R The task measures a Pavlovian response to the screen. This is a very rapidly administered test of simple classical conditioning that is dependent on a reward system centred on the ventral striatum.