Zone and quadrant analysis

The question

Next stop on the tour, and it's a busy one. Once we divide the pool into regions, what do those regions actually tell us? You're watching Morris Water Maze Software Guide, over at morriswatermazesoftware.com.

Meet the zone and quadrant analysis

Zone and quadrant analysis divides the maze into regions, then asks how much time and path the animal spent in each. The classic water maze split is four equal quadrants, with the platform in the centre of one of them. Chance in a probe is a quarter of the time in the target quadrant. Finer zones, such as a circle around the platform, an annulus at the platform's distance from the wall, or a corridor from the start, can show a tight search that a whole quadrant would hide. A 2009 study found that distance-based and zone measures can be more sensitive than quadrant time alone.

How it runs

Here's how it plays out. First, set the zones before you look at the data, using the platform place and the pool geometry. Next, record time, path length and entries in each zone on every trial, including probes. Then, compare the target zone with opposite, adjacent and chance values. Finally, keep the same zone map for every animal and every day.

Strengths and limits

So what's in it for you? It turns a path into a simple preference score. Custom zones can match the question, such as time near the platform or time at the wall. It works in pools, dry mazes and virtual arenas. Where does it bite? Quadrant time can hide a search that is in the right quadrant but far from the spot. Zone size and number must be fixed and reported, or results will not compare.

What to measure

What should you actually measure? Time in the target quadrant: the classic probe score, with 25 percent as chance. Time in a platform zone or annulus: a tighter spatial score. Zone entries and time per entry: whether visits were brief passings or real searches. Opposite and adjacent quadrant times: to show a true preference, not a general bias. Two mice both spend 40 percent of a probe in the target quadrant. One stays in a tight circle over the old platform. The other sweeps the far edge of the same quadrant. A small platform zone tells them apart.

The takeaway

Short version: time in a platform zone or annulus and its neighbours tell you how the task was done, not just how fast. The full transcript is on this page, with sources.