Abstract
The first part of this study explains Morris water maze and radial arm maze tasks which are typically used to measure spatial cognition and memory in rats and mice. The next part explains the long-term potentiation (LTP) as the neural base of learning and memory, and the classification of glutamate receptors. The third part reviews behavioral pharmacological studies on the role of brain NMDA receptors and metabotropic glutamate receptors in spatial memory. Recent development of molecular biological studies using gene-manipulated mice is also reviewed. (Japanese Journal of Physiological Psychology and Psychophysiology, 21 (1) : 5-17, 2003.)
