title: Structural synaptic remodeling in the perirhinal cortex of adult and old rats following object-recognition visual training.
abstract: The ultrastructural features of layer II synapses in the perirhinal cortex of adult (4- to 6-month-old) and old (25- to 27-month-old) rats exposed to a six-session object recognition visual training were investigated by morphometric methods. The comparative analysis showed a higher synaptic numeric density, a lower synaptic average area, and a lower percentage of megasynapses (S > 0.5 microm2) in old trained rats versus controls, and a higher percentage of small (S < 0.15 microm2) junctions in adult trained rats versus controls. The more marked synaptic remodeling underlying memory consolidation in the perirhinal cortex of old rats might reflect a pre-existing lower dynamic status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human and General Physiology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Platano
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bertoni-Freddari
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fattoretti
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Giorgetti
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Grossi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balietti
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Casoli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Stefano
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aicardi
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D018728:Entorhinal Cortex / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D013569:Synapses / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000166:cytology