title: Age-related defects in sensorimotor activity, spatial learning, and memory in C57BL/6 mice.
abstract: Impaired locomotor activity and spatial memory are common features in the natural aging process, and aging is an important risk factor for neurodegenerative disease and postoperative cognitive dysfunction. To characterize age-related changes in psychomotor performance, we assessed sensorimotor activity, spatial learning, and memory in C57BL/6 mice using the Rotarod, foot fault, and Barnes Maze tests. Old mice exhibit significant deficits in locomotor activity and spatial memory relative to young mice, but improve with training. These tests will be useful to assess outcome in neurodegenerative disease and postoperative cognitive dysfunction models carried out in aged mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5117, USA. gbarreto@stanford.edu
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barreto
authors.forename: Ting-Ting
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Rona G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Giffard
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*