Ontogeny of active avoidance in the rat: learning and memory.
Ontogenetic development of active avoidance learning, extinction and retention was studied in rats. The learning of a 1-way active avoidance was most rapid between Weeks 4 and 6, although some slight gender-related differences were evident. No such unambiguous development was detected in forced extinction. The 24-hr retention of avoidance peaked at the age of 4 weeks whereas 1-month retention was best in animals trained at the age of 8 weeks. The retrieval of memory trace also had best values at these ages. Retention of forced extinction was found to peak in 6-week animals. The existence of developmental "critical periods" must be considered cautiously as various functions have different time courses depending upon the chosen parameters in assessment.
D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D005108:Extinction, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*; D012737:Sex Factors