ObjectiveTo apply reward directed operant conditioning task for learning and memory research in laboratory animals. Methods Sixteen adult male SHR rats and 8 Wistar rats were included in this study. Operant conditioning procedure was used to assess the learning ability of Wistar and SHR rats with magazine training, fixed ratio, signal discrimination and extinction procedure. ResultsSignificant difference was found in magazine training. The SHR rats performed more NP vs. Wistar rats and SHR rats treated with donepezil (P<0.05). There was no significant difference during FR1 schedule. While in higher response ratio FR2 and FR4 schedule, the SHR group showed significantly higher error responses (vs. Wistar rat group, P<0.05), lower rewards eared (vs. Donepezil-treated SHR rat group, P<0.001), and significantly lower correct accuracy rate (vs. Wistar rats and Donepezil-treated SHR rats, P<0.05). Significantly higher error responses were found during signal discrimination task (vs. Wistar rats and Donepezil-treated SHR rats, P <0.05), and lower correct accuracy rate (vs. Wistar rats and Donepezil-treated SHR rats, P<0.05). No significant difference was found during extinction. Neurotransmitter test showed that the hippocampal content of glutamate [(1.0639±0.07086) mg/g], acetylcholine [(2.7760±0.2609)μg/g] and 5-HT [(1.2200±0.1137)μg/g] were significantly lower in the SHR group (vs. Wistar rat group, P<0.05). The content of acetylcholine [(3.9344±0.2747)μg/g] was higher in the Donepezil-treated SHR rats group (vs. Wistar rats,P<0.05；vs. SHR rats, P<0.001). Conclusions Reward directed operant conditioning is a type of positive reinforced conditioning. This task can be used as a new behavior test method for learning and memory study.