Effects of visual cues and their elimination and the rotation of the experimental system on the spatial orientation in Albinos rats

Spatial orientation abilities serve the human and most animals as a basic means for survival. This study was designed to examine the role of visual cues and the rotation of the experimental system on the spatial orientation in Albinos rats.

A simple water maze was used to examine the spatial orientation. Twenty five rats aged 2-3 months were distributed into three groups: 8 rates in the first group with distant visual cues, 8 rats in the second group with near visual cues and 9 rats without any visual cues. Experimental investigations were carried out at animal laboratory of Khorasgan Islamic Azad University. Data was analyzed using ANOVA and t independent tests by SPSS 12 soft ware.

Experimental group with distant visual cues used both types of information, namely: exocentric information based on visual cues and egocentric information based on vestibular sense. But in the two other groups, localization and orientation were based on only one of the two mentioned types of information.

Regardless of the distances, the visual cues are very important for spatial orientation abilities in rats. The study also showed that these animals use different strategies for orientation; but if the visual cues are available, they always dominate other kinds of sensory information.