A Barnes Maze for Juvenile Rats Delineates the Emergence of Spatial Navigation Ability

Autor/inn/en	McHail, Daniel G.; Valibeigi, Nazanin; Dumas, Theodore C.
Titel	A Barnes Maze for Juvenile Rats Delineates the Emergence of Spatial Navigation Ability
Quelle	In: Learning & Memory, 25 (2018) 3, S.138-146 (9 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1072-0502
DOI	10.1101/lm.046300.117
Schlagwörter	Spatial Ability; Memory; Animals; Brain Hemisphere Functions; Behavior; Learning Processes; Age Differences; Developmental Stages; Cognitive Processes + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Räumliches Vorstellungsvermögen; Gedächtnis; Animal; Tier; Tiere; Learning process; Lernprozess; Age; Difference; Age difference; Altersunterschied; Cognitive process; Kognitiver Prozess
Abstract	The neural bases of cognition may be greatly informed by relating temporally defined developmental changes in behavior with concurrent alterations in neural function. A robust improvement in performance in spatial learning and memory tasks occurs at 3 wk of age in rodents. We reported that the developmental increase of spontaneous alternation in a Y-maze was related to changes in temporal dynamics of fast glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the hippocampus. We also showed that, during allothetic behaviors in the Y-maze, network oscillation power increased at frequency bands known to support spatial learning and memory in adults. However, there are no discrete learning and memory phases during free exploration in the Y-maze. Thus, we adapted the Barnes maze for use with juvenile rats. Following a single platform exposure in dim light on the day before training (to encourage exploration), animals were trained on the subsequent 2 d in bright light to find a hidden escape box and then underwent a memory test 24 h later. During escape training, the older animals learned the task in 1 d, while the younger animals required 2 d and did not reach the performance of older animals. Long-term memory performance was also superior in the older animals. Thus, we have validated the use of the Barnes maze for this developmental period and established a timeline for the ontogeny of spatial navigation ability in this maze around 3 wk of age. Subsequent work will pair in vivo recording of hippocampal oscillations and single units with this task to help identify how hippocampal maturation might relate to performance improvements. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. 500 Sunnyside Boulevard, Woodbury, NY 11797-2924. Tel: 800-843-4388; Tel: 516-367-8800; Fax: 516-422-4097; e-mail: cshpres@cshl.edu; Web site: http://learnmem.cshlp.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01