Acute exposure to a novel object during consolidation enhances cognition.
Environmental enrichment enhances learning and memory in both rodents and man. We examined the effect of active manipulation of a novel object (toy) on cognitive performance and acetylcholine (ACh) efflux in the hippocampus of rats. Animals exposed to the toy showed a significant increase in hippocampal ACh efflux provided that they actively manipulated the object. Similarly, a single 1 h introduction of the novel object (toy) immediately after a training session in a radial arm maze significantly improved memory only if the animals actively manipulated the object. The data suggest that environmental enrichment during a critical period (consolidation) is sufficient to improve learning and memory. This effect is likely mediated through an enhancement of hippocampal cholinergic neurotransmission.
Degroot
Aldemar
A
Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center, Neuroscience Discovery Research, Indianapolis, IN 46285-0510, USA.
Wolff
Mary C
MC
Nomikos
George G
GG
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D017551:Microdialysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*
D000109:Acetylcholine