Development of Spatial Memory During Adolescent Period in Rats

作者：Uysal Nazan^*; Dayi Ayfer; Ozbal Seda; Cetin Ferihan; Aksu Ilkay; Yalaz Giray; Tugyan Kazim; Arda Sevil Gonenc

来源：Journal of Neurological Sciences-Turkish, 2010, 27(4): 407-413.

• Spatial learning and memory
• hippocampus
• adolescent period
• Morris water maze

It is well known that, hippocampus is center of the spatial learning and memory. Hippocampus changed during the adolescent periyod that is brain development continued. The aim of this study is to evaluate hippocampal functional and cellular differentiation during the adolescent period of rats.
Wistar Albino male and female rats at 21, 38, 60 days of age were used. Spatial learning and memory was evaluated using by Morris water maze. During learning period, escape latencies decrease significantly over days in all groups. On the 3rd and 4th day, 21 days old rats spent longer time to reach the platform than the other groups. (F(1,34) = 90.657, p < 0.001). On the probe trial, 21 days old rats spent less time in the target quadrant and spent more time in the opposite quadrant (p<0.001, p<0.003). The neuron number of hippocampal CA1 and CA3 region's were less 21 days old rats than the other age of groups. In addition to, there was a significant positive correlation between time in target quadrant in probe trial and hippocampus CA3 region's neuron numbers. Also, there was a significant negative correlation between time in opposite quadrant in probe trial and hippocampus CA1 region's neuron numbers.
These results may indicate that hippocampal CA1 region's neuron number minority causes making more mistake while learning, neuron number minority at region CA3 causes lack of memory recalling of the 21 days old rat. At the end of the adolescent increased cell count of hippocampal regions and gyrus dentatus are developed spatial learning and memory.

• 出版日期2010