Kitaya lab

Default tasks




Acclimation (#1)


This task just supplies water during the session all the time.

TimeLimit(min): Session duration. (360)
NumOfDay(session): This task is repeated for the sessions indicated here. (1)
NextTask(Task#) : After completing the specified number of session as NumOfDay, the task will be automatically changed to the task indicated here.
WaterCueType: The type of LED reward cue. (Blink)




Visual discrimination (#2,3)


One of the panels is displayed randomly and touching the panel is rewarded. User can create an any number of panels. User defined textured panel is also available.


MaxCorrectNum: A maximum number of correct trials. (80)
MaxTrialNum: A maximum number of total trials. (110)
TimeLimit(min): Time limit of the task. (360)
PunishDur(sec): Punish duration when the subject choses the wrong panel. (10)
ITI(sec) : Inter trial interval. (1)
LickDur(sec) : Reward duration after each correct response (2)
AutoDrinkLat(sec) : If the subject doesn’t touch any panel for more than the duration indicated here, it receives water reward as "auto-water supply". (360 sec)
MaxAutoRewardNum: A maximum number of "auto-water supply". (5)
NextTaskTh(%): If the correct rate exceeds this value, the next task will be the task indicated in "NextTask". (50)
NextTask(Task#): The task ID which is set as the next task.
PanelType: 3 panel types are available. If you chose "textured", the textures set in the setting will be displayed as a panel. (Normal)
WaterCueType: The type of LED reward cue. (Blink)
PunishLight: If ON, ceiling illuminations are turned on during punishment. (ON)
Aws: If ON, the subject will receive the complementary water supply after the end of session. The duration of complementary water supply is calculated as followed, (MaxCorrectNum - Actual correct responses) x LickDur. (ON)




Press all panels (#4)


Multiple panels are displayed and it is rewarded when it touched all of them.


MaxCorrectNum: A maximum number of correct trials. (80)
TimeLimit(min): Time limit of the task. (600)
LickDur(sec) : Reward duration after each correct response (2)
NextTask(Task#): The task number which is set as the next task.
NextTaskTh(%): If the correct rate exceeds this value, the next task will be the task indicated in "NextTask". (80)
WaterCueType: The type of LED reward cue. (Blink)
AwsOn: If ON, the subject will receive the complementary water supply after the end of session. The duration of complementary water supply is calculated as followed, (MaxCorrectNum - Actual correct responses) x LickDur. (ON)




Spatial discrimination (#5)


Correct and incorrect panels are displayed and touching the correct panel is rewarded. The correct side is fixed during the session. Up to 20 panels are supported. This task can test long-term spatial memory and perseverative behavior.


MaxCorrectNum: A maximum number of correct trials. (80)
MaxTrialNum: A maximum number of total trials. (110)
TimeLimit(min): Time limit of the task. (360)
PunishDur(sec): Punish duration when the subject choses the wrong panel. (15)
ITI(sec) : Inter trial interval. (1)
LickDur(sec) : Reward duration after each correct response (2)
NextTaskTh(%): The threshold to switch to the next task. (80)
NextTask(Task#): The task ID which is set as the next task.
CorrectPos(Panel#): The correct panel ID.
PanelType: 3 panel types are available. If you chose "textured", the textures set in the setting will be displayed as a panel. (Normal)
WaterCueType: The type of LED reward cue. (Blink)
LitPattern: If "All", all panels are lit. If "Random", a panel chosen randomly is lit (irrespective of whether the panel is correct or not). (All)
PunishLight: If ON, ceiling illuminations are turned on during punishment. (ON)
AwsOn: If ON, the subject will receive the complementary water supply after the end of session. The duration of complementary water supply is calculated as followed, (MaxCorrectNum - Actual correct responses) x LickDur. (ON)




DMTP/DNMTP (Delayed non-matching-to-position) (#6,7)


This is a widely task to measure working memory from rodent to human. The subject is required to remember the position of the touched panel for a certain delay and chose the same panel (DMTP) or opposite panel (DNMTP) at the choice phase. To prevent the subject from using their body location as a cue, they are required to touch the center panel just before and after the delay.
This task is consist of "acquisition" and "test" blocks. In the acquisition block, the delay is minimum to make the subject learn the rule of the task (delay time specified as delay0 is used). The task result is checked after each session and once the criteria which is defined in RateTh and DayTh is achieved, it moves to the test block. In the test block, the delay continues to change from delay0 to delay9 day by day to increase the burden of working memory. The following table shows which delays are used on which day in the test block.
Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
DelayA (sec) Delay0 Delay1 Delay2 Delay3 Delay4 Delay5 Delay6 Delay7 Delay8
DelayB (sec) Delay1 Delay2 Delay3 Delay4 Delay5 Delay6 Delay7 Delay8 Delay9
(DelayA and DelayB are selected randomly at each trial)

In our study, we have set those delay like this,

Delay0 Delay1 Delay2 Delay3 Delay4 Delay5 Delay6 Delay7 Delay8
(sec) 1 2 3 5 8 12 16 20 24

Before the start of DMTP/DNMTP task, we recommend to perform a pre-acquisition task which is identical with DMTP/DNMTP task except in the choice phase where only correct panel is lit. You can perform the pre-acquisition task by chosing DMTP1 or DNMTP1 in the TaskType option.



MaxCorrectNum: A maximum number of correct trials. (80)
MaxTrialNum: A maximum number of total trials. (999)
TimeLimit(min): Time limit of the task. (600)
PunishDur(sec): Punish duration when the subject choses the wrong panel. (10)
LickDur(sec) : Reward duration after each correct response (2)
ITI(sec) : Inter trial interval. (30)
ValidDelay(%):  A factor to determine whether each trial is valid or not. If the actual delay is longer than the threshold delay calcurated in the following equation, the trial is not used for the result of the valid trials (130).
   Threshold delay (sec) = Presented delay (sec) x ValidDelay/100 + 10 sec
RateTh(%): The correct rate threshold to start the delayed phase (80)
DayTh(day):  A threshold of sessions to start the delay block. If the subject exceeds RateTh for the number of consecutive times specified here, the delay block will start. (2)
StartSession: If 0, it will start from acquisition block. If 1-8, it will start from test block (exp: If 2, it will start from the 2nd day of the test block where Delay1 and Delay2 are used).  (0)
Seed: A seed of random. It generates random pattern of correct panel position from the integer entered here so if you want to perform tasks with identical random pattern between mice, enter the same number. (any integer)
NextTask(Task#): The task ID which is set as the next task.
TaskType: If DMTP1 or DNMTP1, only correct panel is lit at the choice phase. If DMTP2 or DNMTP2, both correct and incorrect panel are lit.
WaterCue: The type of LED reward cue. (Normal)
PunishLight: If ON, ceiling illuminations are turned on during punishment. (ON)
AwsOn: If ON, the subject will receive the complementary water supply after the end of session. The duration of complementary water supply is calculated as followed, (MaxCorrectNum - Actual correct responses) x LickDur. (ON)
Delay0-9(sec): Delay times. Delay0 is used in the acquisition block. Delay1-9 are used in the test block. If there is a blank in Delay1-9, the task will be switched to the next one specified in the "NextTask" when it comes to the blank.




Delayed alternation (#8)


This is a simple spatial working memory task where correct and incorrect panels are displayed and touching the correct one is rewarded. Correct position is switched every trial and there is a delay between correct panel touching and reward onset thus the subject has to remember the position of the previous correct panel to predict the next correct position. This task is composed of 2 blocks. One is the acquisition block where only a delay specified as Delay0 is used. The correct rate is checked at the end of the session and if it exceeds the value specified in "RateTh" for a number of consecutive days specified in "DayTh", it moves on the delay block. In the delay block, the delay changes day by day as shown below and then move to the next task.
Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Delay1 Delay2 Delay3 Delay4 Delay5 Delay6 Delay7 Delay8 Delay9

The following table shows delays we have used,

Delay0 Delay1 Delay2 Delay3 Delay4 Delay5 Delay6 Delay7 Delay8
(sec) 0 2 5 9 14 20 27 49 87


MaxCorrect: A maximum number of correct trials. (80)
MaxTrial: A maximum number of total trials. (999)
Limit(min): Time limit of the task. (600)
PunishDur(sec): Punish duration when the subject choses the wrong panel. (10)
LickDur(sec): Reward duration after each correct response (2)
ValidDelay(%): A factor to determine whether each trial is valid or not. If the actual delay is longer than the threshold delay calcurated in the following equation, the trial is not used for the result of the valid trials (130).
   Threshold delay (sec) = Presented delay (sec) x ValidDelay/100 + 10 sec
RateTh(%): The correct rate threshold to start the delayed phase (80)
DayTh(day): A threshold of sessions to start the delay block. If the subject exceeds RateTh for the number of consecutive times specified here, the delay block will start. (2)
NextTask: The task ID which is set as the next task.
CorrectPos: The correct panel ID at the first trial. (0 or 1)
PanelType: 3 panel types are available. If you chose "textured", the textures set in the setting will be displayed as a panel. (Normal)
WaterCue: The type of LED reward cue. (Blink)
PunishLight: If ON, ceiling illuminations are turned on during punishment. (ON)
AWS: If ON, the subject will receive the complementary water supply after the end of session. The duration of complementary water supply is calculated as followed, (MaxCorrectNum - Actual correct responses) x LickDur. (ON)
Delay0-9(sec):




Pattern separation / Two-choice spatial discrimination (#9)


In this task, two panels (correct and incorrect) are displayed and touching the correct one is rewarded. The correct side is besically fixed but when the subject choses the correct panel for a certain times in the latest trials, the correct and incorrect sides are switched. For the pattern separation study, the distance between correct and incorrect panels are changed day by day automatically to measure in both large and small separation condition if the "AutoDisAltMode" is ON.





MaxCorrectNum: A maximum number of correct trials. (150)
MaxTrialNum: A maximum number of total trials. (999)
TimeLimit(min): Time limit of the task. (360)
PunishDur(s): Punish duration when the subject choses the wrong panel. (5)
ITI(s): Inter trial interval. (5)
LickDur(s): Reward duration after each correct response (2)
NextTaskTh(Correct%): The correct rate threshold to switch to the next task.
NextTask#: The task ID which is set as the next task.
EvalCorrectNum: The number of the latest trials used to determine whether to switch the correct position. (8)
NecCorrectNum: The number of correct responses required to switch the correct position. (7)
CorrectPos: The correct position at the first trial. If 0 or 4, the task will be large separation task. If 1 or 3, it will be small separation condition. (0 or 1 or 2 or 3)
PanelType: 3 panel types are available. If you chose "textured", the textures set in the setting will be displayed as a panel. (Normal)
WaterCueType: The type of LED reward cue. (Blink)
PunishLight: If ON, ceiling illuminations are turned on during punishment. (ON)
AutoDisAltMode: If ON, it check the correct number of the latest trials at every trial and if it exceeds the criteria, the correct and incorrect panels will be switched. (ON)
AWS: If ON, the subject will receive the complementary water supply after the end of session. The duration of complementary water supply is calculated as followed, (MaxCorrectNum - Actual correct responses) x LickDur. (ON)




Pattern separation TUNL (#10)

(coming soon)




Go/No-Go (#11)


In Go task, a panel is lit for a certain time and if the subject touches it before it disappears, the subject receives water reward. No-Go task is normally performed after learned the Go task. In this task, the subject gets the reward when it withholds from touching the lit panel for a certain time.


MaxCorrectNum: A maximum number of correct trials. (80)
TimeLimit(min): Time limit of the task. (360)
PresentDur(s): The panel display duration. (5)
PunishDur(s): Punish duration when the subject choses the wrong panel. (10)
ITI(s): Inter trial interval. (5)
LickDur(s): Reward duration. (2)
NextTask#: The next task ID.
NextTaskTh(Correct%): The correct rate threshold to switch to the next task.
TaskType: Chose Go or No-Go here.
PunishLight: If ON, ceiling illuminations are turned on during punishment. (ON)
PanelType: 3 panel types are available. If you chose "textured", the textures set in the setting will be displayed as a panel. (Normal)
WaterCueType: The type of LED reward cue. (Blink)




Habitual behavior (#12)


This task includes a series of tests for the perseverative behavior (ref: Rossi et al., Curr Protoc Neurosci, 2012). To establish the repetitive daily routine, it can perform random interval (RI) and random rate (RR) training. In RI, the subject gets reward if it touches the lit panel after a randomly determined latency. In RR, the reward is given at a certain rate when the subject touches the lit panel. After learning those behavior, it can test how much the subject obsesses to its learned behavior with devaluation and omission tests. In devaluation test, the subject is given foods and water for 1 hour and then put the chamber and measured how many times it touches the panel. In omission test, the subject can get reward by just ignoring the lit panel for 20 seconds.



MaxCorrectNum: A maximum number of correct trials. (80)
TimeLimit(min): Time limit of the task. (360)
Random interval(sec): In RI, the random latency is determined from this value. If this value is 30, the latency will range from 0 to 30 sec. (30)
Random rate(%): The probability to reward the subject when it touches the lit panel. This is effective only in RR test. (50)
PresentDur(sec): The latency to give a reward in omission test. (20)
PunishDur(sec): Punish duration. (1)
ITI(sec): Inter trial interval. (1)
LickDur(sec): Reward duration. (2)
NextTask#(Task#): The next task ID.
NextTaskTh(Correct%): The correct rate threshold to switch to the next task.
TaskType: You can specify which test will be performed here. (Train(RI))
PunishLight: If ON, ceiling illuminations are turned on during punishment. (ON)
PanelType: 3 panel types are available. If you chose "textured", the textures set in the setting will be displayed as a panel. (Normal)
WaterCueType: The type of LED reward cue. (Blink)




Probabilistic spatial reversal learning (#13)


This task presents correct and incorrect panels. The difference from the spatial discrimination is that neither the correct and incorrect panel touching result in reward and punishment respectively at 100%. By setting the probability closer to 50%, it would become more difficult to adapt subject's behavior when the correct and incorrect panels are switched.


MaxCorrectNum: A maximum number of correct trials. (80)
MaxTrialNum: A maximum number of total trials. (110)
TimeLimit(min): Time limit of the task. (360)
PunishDur(sec): Punish duration. (15)
ITI(sec): Inter trial interval. (1)
LickDur(sec): Reward duration. (2)
NextTaskTh(Correct%): The correct rate threshold to switch to the next task.
NextTask#(Task#): The next task ID.
CorrectPos: The correct panel ID at the first trial. (0 or 1)
Correct%ofCorrectPos: The probability of giving a water reward when the subject touches the correct panel. (80)
Correct%ofWrongPos: The probability of giving a water reward when the subject touches the incorrect panel. (20)
Seed: A seed of random. It generates random pattern of correct panel position from the integer entered here so if you want to perform tasks with identical random pattern between mice, enter the same number. (any integer)
PanelType: 3 panel types are available. If you chose "textured", the textures set in the setting will be displayed as a panel. (Normal)
WaterCueType: The type of LED reward cue. (Blink)
LitPattern: If "All", all panels are lit. If "Random", a panel chosen randomly is lit (irrespective of whether the panel is correct or not). (All)
PunishLight: If ON, ceiling illuminations are turned on during punishment. (ON)
AwsOn: If ON, the subject will receive the complementary water supply after the end of session. The duration of complementary water supply is calculated as followed, (MaxCorrectNum - Actual correct responses) x LickDur. (ON)




Two-step probabilistic spatial reversal learning (#14)


This task is similar with the conventional probabilistic reversal learning task but has additional center panel touch phase and switching of the correct and incorrect panels within the session. After the touching of the center panel, the correct and incorrect panels are displayed which reward and punish at a certain rate. If the subject achieves a certain number of the correct responses in the latest trials, the correct and incorrect positions are exchanged to evaluate its perseveration to the learned behavior.


MaxCorrectNum: A maximum number of correct trials. ()
MaxTrialNum: A maximum number of total trials. ()
TimeLimitInPhase(min): Time limit of the choice phase. ()
PunishDur(sec): Punish duration. ()
ITI(sec): Inter trial interval. ()
LickDur(sec): Reward duration. ()
EvalCorrectNum: The number of the latest trials used to determine whether to switch the correct position. (8)
NecCorrectNum: The number of correct responses required to switch the correct position. (7)
CorrectPos: The correct panel ID at the first trial. (0 or 2)
Correct%ofCorrectPos: The probability of giving a water reward when the subject touches the correct panel. (80)
Correct%ofWrongPos: The probability of giving a water reward when the subject touches the incorrect panel. (20)
Seed: A seed of random. It generates random pattern of correct panel position from the integer entered here so if you want to perform tasks with identical random pattern between mice, enter the same number. (Any integer)
WaterCueType: The type of LED reward cue. ()
PunishLight: If ON, ceiling illuminations are turned on during punishment. (ON)
AwsOn: If ON, the subject will receive the complementary water supply after the end of session. The duration of complementary water supply is calculated as followed, (MaxCorrectNum - Actual correct responses) x LickDur. (ON)
TimeLimitInDay(min): Time limit of the task. ()




5-choice serial-reaction time task (5CSRTT) (#15)


After a certain delay, randomly chosen panel is lit up for a certain time. The subject receives a reward when it touches the lit panel. All the other touches are punished. For the homecage analysis, there is an option to make it possible to start a trial when the subject nosepoke the water nozzle slit (This function is needed to avoid running the task while the animal is sleeping or eating food).


MaxCorrectNum: A maximum number of correct trials. (80)
MaxTrialNum: A maximum number of total trials. (110)
TimeLimit(min): Time limit of the task. (360)
PunishDur(sec): Punish duration. (10)
LickDur(sec): Reward duration. (2)
TrialInit: If ON, each trial starts after the nosepoking to the water access slit. (ON)
NextTaskTh(Correct%): The correct rate threshold to switch to the next task.
NextTask#(Task#): The next task ID.
IAR(sec): An interval between the end of reward and start acceptance of the water slit nose poking to initiate the next trial. (5)
ITI 0-3(sec): A delay between the start of the trial and display of the stimulus. If several values are entered, one of them is chosen at random on each trial. (ITI0 = 5)
StimDur 0-3(sec): A display time of the stimulus. If several values are entered, one of them is chosen at random on each trial. (StimDur0 = 16)
LimitedHold(sec): A time window to accept touch after turning on the stimulus. This function is necessary to measure responses to brief stimuli. (4)
PanelType: 3 panel types are available. If you chose "textured", the textures set in the setting will be displayed as a panel. (Normal)
WaterCueType: The type of LED reward cue. (Blink)
PunishLight: If ON, ceiling illuminations are turned on during punishment. (ON)
AwsOn: If ON, the subject will receive the complementary water supply after the end of session. The duration of complementary water supply is calculated as followed, (MaxCorrectNum - Actual correct responses) x LickDur. (ON)


I recommend using the monitor with thin frame and the IR sensor bar to reduce a gap between monitor and mask to minimize blind spots the both sides panels (also don't forget to omit the chamber spacer and use the 1.5mm monitor spacers). Extending panels in both sides horizontally (see below) is also an effective way to minimize the blind spot.





Lever conditioning task (#16)


This is a simple lever press conditioning task. One or two levers are inserted during session and pressing the lever once or a certain number of times is rewarded.


MaxTrialNum: A maximum number of total trials. (80)
TimeLimit(min): Time limit of the task. (360)
ReqTouchNum: The number of touches to get a reward. (1)
MinIPI(Minimum inter-press interval): If multiple lever presses are required within a trial, the second or later lever presses need to be done after the time assigned here has elapsed since the previous lever pressing (Most task doesn't need this function so assign "0". Use this function only when you want to avoid chattering or false detecting when animal is biting the lever and it is incorrectly counted as high-frequency lever presses).  (0)
MaxIPI(Maximum inter-press interval): If multiple lever presses are required to get a reward, each lever-press interval must be within this value or lever press count is reset (e.g. If ReqTouchNum=3 and this value is 3, the second and third lever press must be done within 2 sec from the previous lever pressing to get a reward. Otherwise, the lever press count will be reset to 1). If this value is "0", this time limit is disabled. (0)
ITI(sec): Inter trial interval. (1)
LickDur(sec): Reward duration. (2)
WaterCueType: The type of LED reward cue. (Blink)
UsedLever: Specify which lever will be used here. (Left or Right or Both)
NextTaskTh(Correct%): The correct rate threshold to switch to the next task.
NextTask#(Task#): The next task ID.
AwsOn: If ON, the subject will receive the complementary water supply after the end of session. The duration of complementary water supply is calculated as followed, (MaxCorrectNum - Actual correct responses) x LickDur. (ON)