TITLE:
Novel object recognition is not affected by age despite age-related brain changes
AUTHORS:
Ilay Aktoprak, Pelin Dinc, Gizem Gunay, Michelle M. Adams
KEYWORDS:
Novel Object Recognition; Aging; Learning; Memory; Side Preference
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of Neuroscience,
Vol.3 No.4,
October
4,
2013
ABSTRACT: Age-related memory impairments show a progressive
decline across lifespan. Studies have demonstrated equivocal results in
biological and behavioral outcomes of aging. Thus, in the present study we examined
the novel object recognition task at a delay period that has been shown to be
impaired in aged rats of two different strains. Moreover, we used a strain of
rats, Fisher 344XBrown Norway, which have published age-related biological
changes in the brain. Young (10 month old) and aged (28 month old) rats were
tested on a standard novel object recognition task with a 50-minute delay
period. The data showed that young and aged rats in the strain we used performed
equally well on the novel object recognition task and that both young and old
rats demonstrated a righthanded side preference for the novel object. Our data
suggested that novel object recognition is not impaired in aged rats although
both young and old rats have a demonstrated side preference. Thus, it may be
that genetic differences across strains contribute to the equivocal results in
behavior, and genetic variance likely influences the course of cognitive aging.