Chronic food restriction enhances memory in mice--analysis with matched drive levels.
We compared the effects of chronic and acute food deprivation on learning and memory using a dry-type water maze, active avoidance and passive avoidance in C57BL/6L mice. The drive level of the animals--under acute and chronic food deprivation--was matched by a progressive ratio schedule. Both deprivations led to a high degree of activity in the animals; however, the animals on an acute dietary restriction did not exhibit a significantly better performance than those on ad libitum feeding, while those on a chronic food deprivation exhibited memory enhancement. These effects were subtle and were found at a later stage of learning. These findings suggest that chronic food restriction induces memory consolidation or resistance to memory reduction in addition to increased activity.
Hashimoto
Teruo
T
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Letters, Keio University, 2-15-45 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8345, Japan.
Watanabe
Shigeru
S
D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology; D031204:Caloric Restriction / Q000379:methods; D005508:Food Deprivation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D013997:Time Factors