Citation

Andersen CR, Wolf J, Jennings K, Prough DS, Hawkins BE. J. Neurotrauma 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Mary Ann Liebert Publishers)

DOI

10.1089/neu.2020.7089

PMID

32829672

Abstract

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) induces cognitive deficits clinically and in animal models. Learning and memory testing is critical when evaluating potential therapeutic strategies and treatments to manage the effects post-TBI. We evaluated three data analysis methods for the Morris water maze (MWM), a learning and memory assessment widely used in the neurotrauma field, to determine which statistical tool is optimal for MWM data. Hidden platform spatial MWM data aggregated from three separate experiments from the same laboratory were analyzed using 1) logistic regression model, 2) analysis of variance (ANOVA) model, and 3) accelerated failure time (AFT) time-to-event model. The logistic regression model showed no significant evidence of differences between treatments among any swims over all days of the study, p>.11. While the ANOVA model found significant evidence of differences between sham and TBI groups on 3 out of 4 swims on the 3rd day, results are potentially biased due to the failure of this model to account for censoring. The time-to-event accelerated failure time (AFT) model showed significant differences between sham and TBI over all swims on the 3rd day, p<.045, while taking censoring into account. We suggest the AFT models should be the preferred analytical methodology for latency to platform associated with MWM studies.

Language: en

Keywords

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY; LEARNING AND MEMORY; IN VIVO STUDIES