Figure 2  Mouse behavioral assays for cognitive flexibility. (A) Intra-dimensional/extra-dimensional digging task. Mice are trained to dig for food reward using either olfactory (digging medium odor) or tactile (digging medium texture) cues. The rewarded cue in the same dimension is switched to test for intra-dimensional shifting. The rewarded cue is changed to the different dimension to test for extra-dimensional shifting. (B) Spatial reversal in Morris water maze. After learning to locate a submerged platform using distal spatial cues (see Figure 1E), the platform location is moved to the opposite side of the pool to test for reversal. (C) Spatial reversal in T-maze. After learning to locate a food reward in one goal arm using distal spatial cues, the rewarded goal arm is switched to test for reversal. (D) Reversal of discriminated operant response in a bar-pressing system. After learning to press a lever for reward based on a visual (e.g., light) or spatial (lever location) cue, the rewarded cue is switched to test for reversal. (E) Reversal of discriminated operant response in a touchscreen-based system. Reversal of a discriminated operant response can also be tested using a touchscreen-based system (for details, see Figure 3).