Behavioral Assessment of the Effects of Selected Beverages on Wistar Rats Using Morris Water Maze

The consumption of different beverages has been linked to negative health consequences, particularly among youths and adults, and this study was conducted to explore the mechanism by which different beverages affect Wistar rats on Morris water maze. To examine this, 10 adult Wistar rats (5 adult males and 5 adult females) with body weights ranging from 90-128g were randomly assigned to one of five groups, and the groups received the following treatments via oral gavages for 28 days: normal saline, pure alcohol (5%), Goldberg (5%), red wine (14%), and Spirit lord (40%). The rats were weighed weekly throughout the experiment, and spatial learning and memory were assessed using the Morris water maze test, which was conducted by allowing the rats to learn the location of the hidden platform and navigate through the water maze to find the platform. The results showed that rats administered with Spirit lord exhibited significant weight loss, particularly female Wistar rats, while those receiving normal saline gained weight and rats treated with Goldberg demonstrated improved spatial learning and memory, finding the platform faster than those receiving pure alcohol. At the end of the experiment, the adult Wistar rats were able to locate the hidden platform efficiently, indicating distinct effects of different beverages on spatial learning and memory. Keywords: Morris water maze, spatial learning, spatial memory, beverages, Wistar rats.