Probe trial statistics: choosing a measure

Not all probe measures are equally sensitive. Maei and colleagues (2009) compared the common probe measures (quadrant and zone occupancy, platform crossings and average proximity to the former platform location) using more than 1600 mouse probe tests. Mean proximity to the former platform location consistently detected group differences better than the other measures.

• Maei (2009). What is the most sensitive measure of water maze probe test performance?. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience 3. doi:10.3389/neuro.07.004.2009
  Maei and colleagues compared water maze probe test measures: quadrant and zone occupancy, platform crossings and average proximity to the former platform location. Using more than 1600 mouse probe tests, they found that mean proximity to the former platform location consistently detected group differences better than the other measures.

What that means in practice: if you're planning group sizes, think about which measure is your main one before you start, and say so in your methods.

See also Gallagher proximity, quadrant time and platform crossings.

For bin-by-bin probe analysis, see the Devan-Baker time bin analysis.

Sources

1. Maei (2009). What is the most sensitive measure of water maze probe test performance?. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience 3. doi:10.3389/neuro.07.004.2009
2. Gallagher et al. (1993). Severity of spatial learning impairment in aging: Development of a learning index for performance in the Morris water maze. Behavioral Neuroscience 107(4):618-626. doi:10.1037/0735-7044.107.4.618

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