Age-related changes in the organization of spontaneously occurring behaviors

Author ORCID Identifier

Jenna Osterlund Oltmanns: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4461-6205

Ericka A. Schaeffer: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7006-0178

R. I. Lake: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0245-1636

Rachel Einhaus: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4379-0762

Publication Title

Behavioural Processes

ISSN

03766357

E-ISSN

18728308

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Age-related changes in spatial and temporal processing have been documented across a range of species. Rodent studies typically investigate differences in performance between adult and senescent animals; however, progressive loss of neurons in the hippocampus and cortex has been observed to occur as early as after adolescence. Therefore, the current study evaluated the effects of age in three- and ten-month-old female rats on the organization of movement in open field and food protection behaviors, two tasks that have previously dissociated hippocampal and cortical pathology. Age-related differences were observed in general measures of locomotion, spatial orientation, and attentional processing. The results of the current study are consistent with age-related changes in the processing of spatial information and motivation that occur earlier in life than previously anticipated. These observations establish a foundation for future studies evaluating interventions that influence these age-related differences in performance.

Publication Date

9-1-2022

DOI

10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104713

PubMed ID

35901935

Keywords

Exploration, Food protection, Movement kinematics, Open field, Rats, Senescence

Department

Department of Psychology

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