Differences in learning and memory between middle-aged female and male rats
- Natalia Claudia Colettis1,2,3,
- Martín Habif1,3,
- María Victoria Oberholzer1,
- Federico Filippin1 and
- Diana Alicia Jerusalinsky1
- 1Laboratorio de Neuroplasticidad y Neurotoxinas (LaN&N), Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia (IBCN) “Prof. Eduardo De Robertis” (Universidad de Buenos Aires-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), Facultad de Medicina, Buenos Aires C1121ABG, Argentina
- 2Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas Prof. Dr. Alejandro C. Paladini, (Universidad de Buenos Aires-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina
- Corresponding author: lanyn.ibcn{at}gmail.com
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↵3 These authors contributed equally to this work.
Abstract
We observed differences in cognitive functions between middle-aged female and male Wistar rats. Both (like youngsters) discriminated new versus familiar objects, showing similar short- and long-term memory (STM and LTM, respectively). Only females show robust LTM for new location of an object. Both successfully form LTM of inhibitory avoidance, though males appeared to be amnesic for memory persistence. Habituation, locomotion, horizontal exploration, “stereotypies,” fear, and anxiety-like behavior were similar for both, while vertical exploration was significantly higher in middle-aged and younger females. Therefore, sex-dependent differences in some cognitive functions and behaviors must be considered when designing and interpreting learning and memory studies.
Footnotes
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[Supplemental material is available for this article.]
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Article is online at http://www.learnmem.org/cgi/doi/10.1101/lm.053578.122.
- Received March 3, 2022.
- Accepted March 23, 2022.
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