Learning and latent inhibition in old mice.
The inhibitory component of selective attention has been compared in young (7-8 weeks) and older (9-10 months) female mice using the latent inhibition (LI) paradigm. LI consists of retardation in conditioning to a stimulus as a consequence of its prior non-reinforced pre-exposure. In the present work, active avoidance of an electric footshock signaled with a sound was used. Avoidances of the electric footshocks were significantly reduced in old relative to young mice which did not differ regarding pain threshold. This likely results from a slower learning in old mice. LI was significantly present and of the same importance in both young (46%) and old (49%) mice. These results suggest that in 8-9 months-old mice, the learning ability is reduced but the inhibitory component of selective attention is not altered.
Francès
H
H
INSERM U. 26, Hôpital Fernand Widal, 200 rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 75475 Paris cedex 10, France. henriette.frances@inserm.lrb.ap-hop-paris.fr
Tebbakha
M R
MR
Bourre
J M
JM
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D003463:Cues; D004597:Electroshock; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D017288:Pain Threshold; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology