@article{BahnikStuchlik2015,
  author    = {Bahn{\´i}k, Štěp{\´a}n and Stuchl{\´i}k, Aleš},
  title     = {Temporal and spatial strategies in an active place avoidance task on Carousel: a study of effects of stability of arena rotation speed in rats},
  series = {PeerJ},
  volume    = {3},
  journal   = {PeerJ},
  number    = {e1257},
  doi       = {10.7717/peerj.1257},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-141931},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {The active place avoidance task is a dry-arena task used to assess spatial navigation and memory in rodents. In this task, a subject is put on a rotating circular arena and avoids an invisible sector that is stable in relation to the room. Rotation of the arena means that the subject's avoidancemust be active, otherwise the subject will be moved in the to-be-avoided sector by the rotation of the arena and a slight electric shock will be administered. The present experiment explored the effect of variable arena rotation speed on the ability to avoid the to-be-avoided sector. Subjects in a group with variable arena rotation speed learned to avoid the sector with the same speed and attained the same avoidance ability as rats in a group with a stable arena rotation speed. Only a slight difference in preferred position within the room was found between the two groups. No difference was found between the two groups in the dark phase, where subjects could not use orientation cues in the room. Only one rat was able to learn the avoidance of the to-be-avoided sector in this phase. The results of the experiment suggest that idiothetic orientation and interval timing are not crucial for learning avoidance of the to-be-avoided sector. However, idiothetic orientation might be sufficient for avoiding the sector in the dark.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{PetrasekProkopovaSladeketal.2014,
  author    = {Petrasek, Tomas and Prokopova, Iva and Sladek, Martin and Weissova, Kamila and Vojtechova, Iveta and Bahnik, Stepan and Zemanova, Anna and Sch{\"o}nig, Kai and Berger, Stefan and Tews, Bjoern and Bartsch, Dusan and Schwab, Martin E. and Sumova, Alena and Stuchlik, Ales},
  title     = {Nogo-A-deficient transgenic rats show deficits in higher cognitive functions, decreased anxiety, and altered circadian activity patterns},
  series = {Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience},
  volume    = {8},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience},
  number    = {90},
  doi       = {10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00090},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-117073},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {Decreased levels of Nogo-A-dependent signaling have been shown to affect behavior and cognitive functions. In Nogo-A knockout and knockdown laboratory rodents, behavioral alterations were observed, possibly corresponding with human neuropsychiatric diseases of neurodevelopmental origin, particularly schizophrenia. This study offers further insight into behavioral manifestations of Nogo-A knockdown in laboratory rats, focusing on spatial and non-spatial cognition, anxiety levels, circadian rhythmicity, and activity patterns. Demonstrated is an impairment of cognitive functions and behavioral flexibility in a spatial active avoidance task, while non-spatial memory in a step-through avoidance task was spared. No signs of anhedonia, typical for schizophrenic patients, were observed in the animals. Some measures indicated lower anxiety levels in the Nogo-A-deficient group. Circadian rhythmicity in locomotor activity was preserved in the Nogo-A knockout rats and their circadian period (tau) did not differ from controls. However, daily activity patterns were slightly altered in the knockdown animals. We conclude that a reduction of Nogo-A levels induces changes in CNS development, manifested as subtle alterations in cognitive functions, emotionality, and activity patterns.},
  language  = {en}
}