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Med Associates has always offered MedState Notation™ code for those users that want to collect data immediately,
without first learning this popular text-based language. Several of the more popular procedures resulted in inexpensive,
standard catalog items. With the expanded features of MED-PC® IV, we can now offer off-the-shelf MedState Notation™
source code that runs like an advanced custom application. The user will still have the ability to modify and/or expand
upon the basic code; however, an operator having absolutely no programming skills may run the procedure and change
key control parameters. The combination of MED-PC® IV with a ready-to-run procedure produces the first behavioral
control system that truly requires no programming-not even table programming, which may at first appear simple, but
inevitably becomes more complex than a text based language such as MED-PC® IV.
View Our MedState Notation Packages
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SOF-700LA-1: MEDLAB® 8 PACKAGE
This is a package eight programs for use in MED-PC IV based on the following schedules of reinforcement:
- Fixed Ratio
- Fixed Interval
- Variable Ratio
- Variable Interval
- Random Ratio
- Random Interval
- Chain
- Discrimination
These eight schedules were written for operant chambers with minimum configurations. Each MedState Notation procedure is modifiable by the user to meet specific hardware or research requirements. This package is a useful supplement to the sample programs included with MED-PC®, with state sets for session timing, response counting, and for creating IRT and event time arrays for a SoftCR cumulative record.
These programs were recently updated to include more named variables and allow for greater data acquisition from experiments.
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SOF-700LA-2: OPERANT-CONDITIONING LAB PACKAGE
This package consists of five MedState Notation™ procedures that are well suited for a research or student lab. Dr. StevenDworkin designed these procedures. The procedures are for the following schedules:
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Fixed Ratio (FR x)
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Fixed Interval (FI x)
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Differential Reinforcement of Zero Responding (DRO)
- Inter-Response Time Less (IRT < x)
- Inter-Response Time Greater (IRT > x)
The procedures all make use of MED-PC® IV's named variables to make running and modifying the schedules very straightforward.
For example, the Fixed Interval procedure uses the following named variables:
- Correct Lever (L=1 R=2)
- Reward (Pellet=1 Dipper=2 Drug=3)
- Reward Time (sec)
- Time Out Following Reward (sec)
- Session Time (min)
- Fixed Interval Value
- Maximum Reinforcers
- SoftCr Data Array (Yes=1 No=0)
The trial data are conveniently stored in an array that prints out in a one row per trial format. Similar data are collected in all the procedures. For example, the data collected in the fixed interval procedure include:
- Total Responses
- Correct Response Count
- Incorrect Response Count
- % Correct
- % Incorrect
- Trial Number
- Correct Responses
- Incorrect Responses
- Pause Time (sec)
- Run Time (sec)
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SOF-700RA-1: FR TRAINING PROCEDURE
 Install the FR Training Procedure and the Load Wizard presents a detailed list of session parameters. From this one window, the user may select the left or right lever for reward, select an appropriate dispenser and reward time out if desired, determine the session time and ratio value, and turn the optional cumulative record data collection feature on or off. The default settings shown make the left lever correct with pellet reward. The dispenser is activated for 50 ms. Session time runs for 60 minutes with a fixed ratio of 1 and the SoftCr™ data array is activated. Any of these parameters may be easily changed to accommodate a number of standard operant and drug discrimination procedures.
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SOF-700RA-2: PROGRESSIVE RATIO
Select the Progressive Ratio procedure and the Load Wizard presents a detailed list of session parameters. From this window,
the user may select the left or right lever for reward, select an appropriate device for dispensing the reward and the reward
time, set a time out following the reward if desired, set the session time, select between a step or list progressive ratio, set
the starting value and step value for a step progressive ratio, set the progressive ratio frequency, and turn the optional
cumulative record data collection feature on or off. Any of these parameters may be easily changed to accommodate a
number of progressive ratio procedures.
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SOF-700RA-3: ELEVATED MAZE DATA COLLECTION
The Elevated Plus Maze Data Collection software package contains two Medstate Notation™ procedures. One defines the
runway time as the moment the subject starts exploring the runway. The other requires the subject to clear both photobeams
in the runway before the runway time is counted. Select either Elevated Plus Maze procedure and the Load Wizard presents a
detailed list of session parameters. From this window, the user may set the session time and start delay. The default settings<
make the session time 15 minutes and the start delay 5 seconds. Data collection includes the number of explorations and
entrances into the open and closed runways and the time spent in the open and closed runways. Also included is the number
of full entrances into each of the four runways.
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SOF-700RA-4: PLACE PREFERENCE DATA COLLECTION
In the Place Preference Test with auto guillotine doors and ceiling lights, all lights are on when the procedure is loaded for
adjustment and testing. When the start command is issued, all lights are turned off. Following the acclimation period, the doors
are automatically opened and the lights turned on. Doors are closed and lights turned off following the session time.
In the Place Preference Test with manual guillotine doors and ceiling lights, the computer's speaker is used to signal the end of
the acclimation and test periods. It will turn off automatically in 5 seconds, which may be modified as desired by the user, or it
may be turned off with menu item "Shut Off Beep" under the Configure menu.
Select either Place Preference procedure and the Load Wizard presents a detailed list of session parameters. From this window,
the user may set the adaption time, test time, and bin size. The default settings shown make the adaption time 5 minutes,
session time 15 minutes, and the bin size 60 seconds.
Data collection includes Exploration Counts (breaks of the first beam of an adjacent chamber), Entrance Counts (beam breaks
beyond the first in an adjacent chamber), Activity Counts (any beam break within the current chamber), Movement Counts (a
change in the beam broken in the current chamber), and Zone Time in each chamber.
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SOF-700RA-5: INTRACRANIAL SELF STIMULATION (ICSS) PROCEDURES
The following procedures have been replicated in MedState NotationT code to run on MED-PC® IV Behavioral Control Systems.
This source code may be used as is, or modified by the user to meet specific research demands. REWARD.mpc is a discrete
trial method of ICSS threshold measurement written originally for Dr. Conan Kornetsky, Boston University, School of Medicine.
Five trial blocks are presented in descending order until the animal meets an established criteria followed by five trial blocks
in ascending order. The default number of columns run in this manner is four. In the REWARD procedure, contingent and
non-contingent stimulations are equal. DETECTION.mpc holds the rewarding or response-contingent stimulation constant. Both
are described in Kornetsky, Conan and Bain, George, Modern Methods in Pharmacology, Vol. 6, Testing and Evaluation of Drugs
of Abuse, Brain-Stimulation Reward: A Model for Drug-Induced Euphoria, pp. 211-231.
Custom MedState NotationT is also available. For example, a stepwise titration of frequency procedure was written similar to
J.L. Moreau, F. Jenck, J.R. Martin, P. Mortas and W.E. Haefely, European Neuropsychopharmacology, 2, (1992), pp. 43-49. This
is an FR1 schedule that holds current constant while frequency steps from 70 Hz to 30 Hz and back again in 10 Hz steps every
two minutes. Another example is an autotitration of current procedure that holds frequency constant similar to Geoffrey K.
Mumford, Darryl B. Neill, and Stephen G. Holtzman, Brain Research, 459 (1988), pp. 163-167. This procedure requires two
active levers. Starting current is set individually for each animal. One lever delivers stimulation that decreases 3 µA following
every fifth reinforcement. The second lever resets the amplitude value back to the original starting current.
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SOF-700RA-6: RADIAL ARM MAZE DATA COLLECTION
The Radial Arm Maze procedure provides for a user-defined adaptation time and session test time. The test session is also
ended when the animal has fully explored all eight runways. The standard data collection includes the number of entries and
time in zone for the hub and all eight runways as well as "end counts" in each runway. Additional data includes total runways
correct, total runway errors, the sequence of runways entered, and the elapsed time in seconds to runway completion.
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SOF-700RA-7: SHUTTLE BOX AVOIDANCE PACKAGE -INCLUDES 7, 13 AND 11
ACTIVE
The Shuttle Box Active Avoidance procedure is written for systems with eight I/R photobeam sensors, separate left and right
light and tone, and either with or without an auto guillotine door. By default, each trial presents both stimuli for five seconds
followed by a maximum 25 second aversive stimulation escape interval while the stimuli remain on. The mean ITI interval is 15
seconds and it presents 50 trials. The total session time is set at 60 minutes, however, given the above parameters the test will
always end in less than an hour.
Select the Shuttle Box Avoidance procedure and the Load Wizard presents a detailed list of session parameters. From this
window, the user may set the number of trials to run, select the stimuli to use, set the avoid and escape intervals, enable the
CS/UCS overlap and punish ITI crossings flags, and set the maximum session time.
A row of data is created for each trial with the trial number, an avoid or escape tag with corresponding latency, left and right
chamber activity, crossings, and punished crossings. A summary file includes total values as well as mean avoid and escape
latency.
STEP DOWN
The Shuttle Box Step Down Protocols procedures are written for systems with eight I/R photobeam sensors. The platform
should be placed so the subject steps into the right side when stepping down off the platform.
In the training procedure, delay to aversive stimulation onset is 0.001" seconds, aversive stimulation duration is 2 seconds,
no response time is 180 seconds, and the inter-trial interval is 120 seconds. In the test procedure, no response time is 180
seconds, and the inter-trial interval is 120 seconds. No aversive stimulation is used in the test procedure.
The data collected in both procedures are the trial numbers and the response latencies.
PASSIVE
The Shuttle Box Passive Avoidance procedures are written for systems with eight I/R photobeam sensors. The Training
procedure features a 180 second trial, measuring the activity on the light side, latency to the dark side, aversive stimulation
delay, and aversive stimulation duration. The Test procedure also features a 180 second trial, measuring the activity on the
light side and the latency to the dark side. No aversive stimulation is issued in the test procedure.
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SOF-700RA-8: NINE CHOICE SERIAL REACTION TIME TASK
In the Nine Choice Serial Reaction Time Task, the subject is required to respond to brief flashes of light presented randomly in
one of nine spatial locations. Testing begins with the onset of the house light and the pellet or dipper receptacle light. A head
entry issues a free reward presentation and initiates the session timer.
Following the reward interval, an ITI is activated for the first trial. Nose poking during the ITI results in a time out and is
recorded as a premature response. Stimulus time outs also occur following an incorrect response, or following an error of
omission (failure to respond within the limited hold interval).
By default this procedure runs for 90 trials or 30 minutes, starting with a fixed ITI interval of 5 seconds and fixed stimulus
presentation of 0.5 seconds. Both can be randomized by adding to the LIST statements in the MedState NotationT code.
The time to respond (limited hold) is 5 seconds and premature responses add a 5 second time out before repeating the ITI.
Incorrect responses or errors of omission also add a 5 second time out before starting a new trial. Responses during the time
out reset the time-out timer. Twenty elements of data are documented for each trial. Summary data includes correct responses,
incorrect responses, omissions, premature responses, perseverant responses, time out responses, total receptacle head entries,
percent correct, percent incorrect, percent omission, average latency to correct responses, average latency to incorrect
responses, and average latency to reward.
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SOF-700RA-8A: FIVE CHOICE SERIAL REACTION TIME TASK
In the Five Choice Serial Reaction Time Task, the subject is required to respond to brief flashes of light presented randomly in
one of five spatial locations. Testing begins with the onset of the house light and the pellet or dipper receptacle light. A head
entry issues a free reward presentation and initiates the session timer.
Following the reward interval, an ITI is activated for the first trial. Nose poking during the ITI results in a time out and is
recorded as a premature response. Stimulus time outs also occur following an incorrect response, or following an error of
omission (failure to respond within the limited hold interval).
By default this procedure runs for 50 trials or 30 minutes, starting with a fixed ITI interval of 5 seconds and fixed stimulus
presentation of 0.5 seconds. Both can be randomized by adding to the LIST statements in the MedState NotationT code.
The time to respond (limited hold) is 5 seconds and premature responses add a 5 second time out before repeating the ITI.
Incorrect responses or errors of omission also add a 5 second time out before starting a new trial. Responses during the time
out reset the time-out timer. Sixteen elements of data are documented for each trial. Summary data includes correct responses,
incorrect responses, omissions, premature responses, perseverant responses, time out responses, total receptacle head entries,
percent correct, percent incorrect, percent omission, average latency to correct responses, average latency to incorrect
responses, and average latency to reward.
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SOF-700RA-9: T-MAZE TRAINING AND TESTING
The T-Maze Training and Testing procedure gives the user the option of running left goal arm training, right goal arm training,
or force run with random left/right selections.
Each trial requires that the animal run from the start box to the end of the open runway and break the head detection beam in
the pellet trough. Trials are aborted (all doors closed) if the animal does not complete the start runway within the "move time"
setting. Otherwise the doors close following head detection or "total trial time". A new trial will start every "trial time" given
successful trials, but no sooner than "ITI minimum" following the end of the previous trial.
Select the T-Maze procedure and the Load Wizard presents a detailed list of session parameters. From this window, the user
may set the number of trials to run, select the training side or test, and set the move, total trial, and ITI minimum times. The
default settings shown run 24 left goal arm training trials with a move time of 60 seconds, a total trial time of 5 minutes, and
an ITI minimum of 60 seconds.
Data collected include the total trials completed, total move errors, and total trials incomplete. For each trial, the side code,
movement time, arm time, and latency to goal are recorded.
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SOF-700RA-10: DRUG SELF INFUSION
Select the Drug Self Infusion procedure and the Load Wizard presents a detailed list of session parameters. From this window,
the user may set the fixed ratio setting, session time, maximum number of infusions, a time out following the infusion if
desired, infusion time, and turn the optional cumulative record data collection feature on or off. Any of these parameters may
be easily changed to accommodate a number of drug self infusion procedures.
The default procedure has the right lever active, although data is collected on both levers. The house light is on through out
the procedure, the stimulus light above the right lever is turned on when the procedure enters the fixed ratio component and is
turned off during the time out.
Data collected include the number of right and left lever responses during the fixed ratio, infusion, and time out, the time in
the fixed ratio, number of infusions, and the number of right lever responses per minute during the fixed ratio.
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SOF-700RA-11: SHUTTLE BOX STEP DOWN PROTOCOLS
The Shuttle Box Step Down Protocols procedures are written for systems with eight I/R photobeam sensors. The platform
should be placed so the subject steps into the right side when stepping down off the platform.
In the training procedure, delay to aversive stimulation onset is 0.001" seconds, aversive stimulation duration is 2 seconds,
no response time is 180 seconds, and the inter-trial interval is 120 seconds. In the test procedure, no response time is 180
seconds, and the inter-trial interval is 120 seconds. No aversive stimulation is used in the test procedure.
The data collected in both procedures are the trial numbers and the response latencies.
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SOF-700RA-12: TRIADIC LEARNED HELPLESSNESS
The Triadic Learned Helplessness program is designed to run three animals at the same time, from the same box. Subjects
in the Escape condition learn to turn the response wheel to terminate the aversive stimulation for themselves and a Yoked
partner. The Control subject is not shocked.
When the program loads, the left position is set to Escape, the center to Control, and the Right to Yoke. If your system has
aversive stimulators on all three positions, the code may be modified to randomly select which positions (left, center, or right)
are the Escape, Yoke, and Control.
By default, the variable for trials to run is set to 100 trials and the session time is 360 minutes. The session is closed if either
condition is met. The maximum aversive stimulation time is 30 seconds.
The program starts with an FR 1 schedule. The default time to respond is set to 5 seconds. The FR 1 schedule must be met
the number of times specified by the FR1 Increment Ratio Count variable (default of three times) before the FR value is
incremented. The FR1 must also be met within the Response Time or the counter resets.
Once the FR 1 schedule is met the number of times specified by the FR 1 Increment Ratio Count variable, the FR schedule will
increment by one every time the schedule is met within the Response Time. If the schedule is not met within the Response
Time, the FR value does not increment. If the aversive stimulation is left on for the Max Aversive Stimulation Time, the FR
value is reset to 1 and the FR1 Increment Ratio Count must be satisfied again before the FR value will increment.
The maximum FR value is 16. Once the FR value reaches 16, it will stay at 16 as long as the FR 16 schedule is met within the
Response Time. If the schedule is not met within the Response Time, the schedule decrements by one.
There are seven columns of data for each trial. The first column is the trial number. This is followed by the left, center, and
right response counts. The last three columns are the time to meet FR, the FR value, and the ITI value.
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SOF-700RA-13: SHUTTLE BOX PASSIVE AVOIDANCE
The Shuttle Box Passive Avoidance procedures are written for systems with eight I/R photobeam sensors. The Training
procedure features a 180 second trial, measuring the activity on the light side, latency to the dark side, aversive stimulation
delay, and aversive stimulation duration. The Test procedure also features a 180 second trial, measuring the activity on the
light side and the latency to the dark side. No aversive stimulation is issued in the test procedure.
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SOF-700RA-14: THRESHOLD
This package contains two Fear Training procedures and two Fear Test procedures for use with the Threshold Fear Conditioning
systems and Threshold Activity software. The procedures are written for systems with the Programmable Audio Generator
(ANL-926) and the Computer-Controlled Constant Current Aversive Stimulator (ENV-413).
The standard training protocol waits 120 seconds after the start is issued to turn on a tone for 30 seconds. During the last
two seconds of the tone, the foot aversive stimulation is turned on. The tone and the foot aversive stimulation are turned off
simultaneously. The animal is left in the chamber for an additional 30 seconds.
The alternative training protocol waits 30 seconds after the start is issued to turn on a 2 second foot aversive stimulation.
After waiting 60 seconds, a second 2 second foot aversive stimulation is issued. The animal is left in the chamber for an
additional 30 seconds.
There is a no conditioned stimulus test protocol that runs for 5 minutes. The conditioned stimulus test protocol has a 3 minute
baseline followed by a 3 minute tone.
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SOF-700RA-23 Shuttle Box Active Avoidance FR-2
The FR-2 program runs and collects data the same way as the original Shuttle Box Active Avoidance does. This program runs according to five blocks, which can be changed by the user. By default they are:
- Block one is a 5 minute acclimation period
- Block two is 2 FR-1 trials
- Block three is a 20 minute observation period
- Block four is 3 FR-1 trials
- Block five is 25 FR-2 trials
Each block can have their value set to 0 in session parameters to skip certain block(s) if necessary. So, one can run just a FR-2 program without any FR-1 trials or observation periods.
Animal type can be selected, mouse or rat, in session parameters to adjust for their respective sizes. Selecting rat will only count the outside 2 beams as crossings, while mouse will count the outside 3 beams as crossings. This is due to the larger size of the rats breaking more beams in respect to the smaller size of the mouse breaking fewer beams.
An FR-2 trial is defined as the animal having to cross from side 1 to side 2 then back to side 1. After the CS, shock is activated on both sides of the chamber and the animal has to cross two times to stop the shock. The starting side shock turns off after the first crossing. For example, the animal starts on the left and has to cross to the right then back to the left to complete an escape or avoid.
By default, each trial presents both stimuli for 5 seconds followed by a maximum 25 second shock escape interval while the stimuli remain on. The mean ITI is 15 seconds and the program has a maximum session time of 60 minutes. The user can also set which stimuli to use, the avoid and escape times, enable the CS/UCS overlap, set the session time, and enable punish ITI crossings.
All data collected includes trial count, FR value, avoids, avoid latency, escapes, escape latency, left movement, right movement, crossings, and ITI shocks. Data is collected for each trial on a trial-by-trial basis, and summary data is collected for total FR-1 and FR-2 trials.
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Current Med Citations
Operant Behavior
