Interaction between age and perceptual similarity in olfactory discrimination learning in F344 rats: relationships with spatial learning.

ABSTRACT: Emerging evidence suggests that aging is associated with a reduced ability to distinguish perceptually similar stimuli in one's environment. As the ability to accurately perceive and encode sensory information is foundational for explicit memory, understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of discrimination impairments that emerge with advancing age could help elucidate the mechanisms of mnemonic decline. To this end, there is a need for preclinical approaches that robustly and reliably model age-associated perceptual discrimination deficits. Taking advantage of rodents' exceptional olfactory abilities, the present study applied rigorous psychophysical techniques to the evaluation of discrimination learning in young and aged F344 rats. Aging did not influence odor detection thresholds

SUBMITTER: Yoder WM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5393344 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature