Purposive decision-making task in mice using touchscreen operant apparatus

Purposive decision-making, based on sensory input and memory, is a component of executive functioning. Evaluating executive functioning is crucial for understanding neuropsychiatric disorders and brain injuries. However, there's a lack of mouse tests for this purpose. To address this, we developed a novel touchscreen task to assess purposive decision-making in mice. In the present task, the mice had to touch the correct window (left or right), with a visual stimulus as a cue for decision-making. The mice gradually acquired a relationship between the visual stimuli and the action they should take. Each mouse made the correct choice more than 80% of the time based on the visual cue and memory and knowledge of themselves. We could clearly determine when the mice saw the visual cue. The present task offers a valuable tool for investigating the neural mechanisms behind decision-making.