title: Variations in working memory capacity predict individual differences in general learning abilities among genetically diverse mice.
abstract: Up to 50% of an individuals' performance across a wide variety of distinct cognitive tests can be accounted for by a single factor (i.e., "general intelligence"). Despite its ubiquity, the processes or mechanisms regulating this factor are a matter of considerable debate. Although it has been hypothesized that working memory may impact cognitive performance across various domains, tests have been inconclusive due to the difficulty in isolating working memory from its overlapping operations, such as verbal ability. We address this problem using genetically diverse mice, which exhibit a trait analogous to general intelligence. The general cognitive abilities of CD-1 mice were found to covary with individuals' working memory capacity, but not with variations in long-term retention. These results provide evidence that independent of verbal abilities, variations in working memory are associated with general cognitive abilities, and further, suggest a conservation across species of mechanisms and/or processes that regulate cognitive abilities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kolata
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Light
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Townsend
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hale
authors.forename: Henya C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Grossman
authors.forename: Louis D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Matzel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D021461:Animals, Outbred Strains; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D003214:Conditioning, Classical; D004193:Discrimination Learning; D005239:Fear; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D008568:Memory; D051379:Mice; D009812:Odorants; D012153:Retention, Psychology; D013037:Spatial Behavior; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water