Editing Spatial memory (section)

===Radial arm maze===
{{main|Radial arm maze}}
[[File:Simple Radial Maze.JPG|thumb|Simple Radial Maze]]
First pioneered by Olton and Samuelson in 1976,<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Olton | first1 = D.S. | last2 = Samuelson | first2 = R.J. | year = 1976 | title = Remembrance of places past: spatial memory in rats | journal = Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes| volume = 2 | issue = 2| pages = 97–116 | doi = 10.1037/0097-7403.2.2.97 }}</ref> the radial arm maze is designed to test the spatial memory capabilities of rats. Mazes are typically designed with a center platform and a varying number of arms<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Cole | first1 = M.R. | last2 = Chappell-Stephenson | first2 =  Robyn| year = 2003 | title = Exploring the limits of spatial memory using very large mazes | journal = [[Learning & Behavior]] | volume = 31 | issue = 4| pages = 349–368 | doi = 10.3758/BF03195996 | pmid = 14733483 | doi-access = free }}</ref> branching off with food placed at the ends. The arms are usually shielded from each other in some way but not to the extent that external cues cannot be used as reference points. {{cn|date=March 2025}}

In most cases, the rat is placed in the center of the maze and needs to explore each arm individually to retrieve food while simultaneously remembering which arms it has already pursued. The maze is set up so the rat is forced to return to the center of the maze before pursuing another arm. Measures are usually taken to prevent the rat from using its [[Olfaction|olfactory]] senses to [[Navigation|navigate]] such as placing extra food throughout the bottom of the maze. {{cn|date=March 2025}}