title: [Age-related changes in the visual function of WBN/Kob rats: a behavioral study].
abstract: Changes in visual function with increasing age were studied in male WBN/Kob rats, a new diabetic strain. In order to detect visual abnormalities in WBN/Kob rats, 5 WBN/Kob and 5 Wistar/ST (control) rats from each group were examined at 5, 9, 13, 17, 23, 27, 36, 45, 54, 67 and 80 weeks of age using dark and light distinction and open-field tests. The rates at which WBN/Kob rats selected the dark area were 85.0 to 100%, 58.8% and 52.6% at 5 to 54, 67 and 80 weeks of age, respectively, while those for Wistar/ST rats were 85.0 to 100% in each age group. Visual abnormality was obvious in WBN/Kob rats aged 67 and 80 weeks, compared with Wistar/ST rats (P < 0.05). There were no significant signs of visual abnormality in the open-field test. Detection of visual abnormality seems to be possible from 67 weeks of age.
authors.affiliation: Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Nagano, Japan.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kiyosawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sibata
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Naito
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D003624:Darkness; D008027:Light; D008124:Locomotion; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014787:Vision Tests; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*