Evaluation of neurobehavioral deficits following different severities of cerebral ischemia in rats: A comparison between the modified hole board test and the Morris water maze test

► Histologic outcome after various cerebral ischemia models in rats is well described. ► Clear evidence on the effects on executive functioning is still missing. ► This study compares the MWM with the modified hole board test (mHB). ► The mHB accurately reflects different severities of histological damage. ► The mHB is more sensitive for evaluation of cognitive-behavioral performance.