Object recognition (OR) and the Morris water maze (MWM) are classical tasks widely used to assess memory parameters and deficits in rodents. Learning processes in both tasks involve integrity of the hippocampus and associated regions, and prefrontal cortex connections. Here, we highlight the idea that these classical tests can be used to indicate memory deficits caused by models of disease that affect hippocampal function in rats, and identify some practical issues of OR and MWM, based on the literature and our experience. Additionally, we have shown that the performance of both tasks does not alter blood levels of corticosterone, considering exposure to a single task. Hence, taking into consideration the difficulties and care required during task execution, the infrastructure needed and the training of the experimenter, we suggest that OR and its variations offer minimal manageable stressful conditions, representing an effective and practical tool for hippocampal-related memory assessment of rats. Thus, OR may provide similar information to that of the MWM, despite controversy regarding hippocampus participation in OR and given due differences in the types of memory evaluated and researchers’ objectives. We recommend the observation of some important precautions and details, also based on the literature and our own experience.

物体识别 (OR) 和莫里斯水迷宫 (MWM) 是广泛用于评估啮齿动物的记忆参数和缺陷的经典任务。这两项任务中的学习过程都涉及海马体和相关区域的完整性，以及前额叶皮层的连接。在这里，我们强调这些经典测试可用于指示由影响大鼠海马功能的疾病模型引起的记忆缺陷，并根据文献和我们的经验确定 OR 和 MWM 的一些实际问题。此外，我们已经表明，考虑到接触单一任务，这两项任务的表现不会改变血液中皮质酮的水平。因此，考虑到任务执行过程中所需的困难和谨慎、所需的基础设施和对实验者的培训，我们建议 OR 及其变体提供最小可管理的压力条件，代表了大鼠海马相关记忆评估的有效和实用工具。因此，OR 可能提供与 MWM 相似的信息，尽管海马参与 OR 存在争议，并且在评估的记忆类型和研究人员目标方面存在适当差异。我们建议根据文献和我们自己的经验观察一些重要的预防措施和细节。尽管海马参与 OR 存在争议，并且在评估的记忆类型和研究人员的目标方面存在适当差异。我们建议根据文献和我们自己的经验观察一些重要的预防措施和细节。尽管海马参与 OR 存在争议，并且在评估的记忆类型和研究人员的目标方面存在适当差异。我们建议根据文献和我们自己的经验观察一些重要的预防措施和细节。