Effect size of reference memory deficits in the Morris water maze in Tg2576 mice

The most widely used mouse model of Alzheimer's disease is the Tg2576 (APPSWE) model. While general agreement about their neuropathology prevails, disparate results concerning cognitive changes have been reported. To resolve this controversy, we combined Morris water maze data collected over >10 years to determine the extent of memory impairment. APPSWE mice exhibited an age-dependent decline in memory, but the effect size was small when compared to non-transgenic littermates. Larger effect sizes were achieved when comparing APPSWE and Tg5469 (APPWT) mice.