Strain differences in performance of alternation patterns between C57BL/6 and CF1 mice

Recombinant DNA technology has facilitated animal models that could be used to investigate candidate gene contributions to acquisition and retention. In practice, researchers focus on genetics or simple behaviors, rarely combining both or investigating genetic contributions to complex behaviors. We investigated inbred C57BL/6 and outbred CF1 mice's ability to perform single-alternation and double-alternation patterns. C57BL/6 mice performed better, especially on double-alternation patterns. We also observed sex differences in the inbred C57BL/6 strain for the double alternation pattern. This suggests paradigms for investigating complex behaviors can be useful in uncovering strain differences and contributions of candidate genes to learning, retention, and performance.