Training protocol for touchscreen-based visual discrimination in mice

Automated touchscreen-based tasks are increasingly used to investigate various aspects of learning and behavior in mice. However, researchers often provide only brief descriptions of the training processes that precede the acquisition of experimental tasks, and shaping protocols typically lack detailed documentation. This study presents a training protocol developed in our laboratory for mice to achieve simultaneous visual discrimination performance. C57BL/6N mice first underwent magazine training, followed by autoshaping of nose-poke responses, which were maintained on a continuous reinforcement schedule. A self-start response was then introduced to measure the response time to complete a trial, with stimulus positions varied across trials. Finally, contrast discrimination performance was assessed using four different contrast ratios. The target stimuli consisted of white and black targets, while the distractors had brightness levels between the targets and the background. All mice completed each stage of the training, demonstrating that this protocol effectively shapes appropriate discriminative behaviors in mice.