Spatial but not object recognition is impaired by aging in rats.
Four groups of male Wistar rats (4, 8, 18, and 24 months) were submitted to object recognition and spatial recognition tests. Object recognition was not significantly affected by aging even at a longer retention interval. On the contrary, spatial recognition was significantly impaired in 18- and 24-month groups. The existence of two dissociable neural systems, respectively involved in object and spatial recognition, is discussed.
Cavoy
A
A
Laboratoire de Psychophysiologie, Université Paris VII, France.
Delacour
J
J
D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D001288:Attention; D004193:Discrimination Learning; D005556:Form Perception; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D009949:Orientation; D011340:Problem Solving; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011930:Reaction Time