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The learning deficit of the Ts65Dn mouse, a model for Down syndrome, persists with age but does not increase
Author(s) -
Sanders Nichole Chase,
Wenger Galen R
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.23.1_supplement.586.1
Subject(s) - psychology , audiology , task (project management) , reinforcement , medicine , schedule , developmental psychology , social psychology , computer science , management , economics , operating system
Previous research using an incremental repeated acquisition (IRA) schedule of reinforcement has shown there is a significant learning impairment in young, adult Ts65Dn mice (TS) compared to littermate controls (LC) (Wenger et al . Behav. Genet. 34: 105‐119, 2004). The purpose of this study was to determine if this deficit changes with age. A performance version of the task (IRA‐P), under which only the correct position response was illuminated and as such, is not a measure of acquisition, was used to determine if changes in the deficit were caused by changes in motoric ability. Data collected under the IRA task showed that there was a significant learning deficit that persisted up to 24‐months of age in the TS compared to LC. There was a significant decline in the rate of responding and the number of milk presentations earned by the TS after 19‐months of age. However, response accuracy, which is not dependent on mobility, did not decline. Under the IRA‐P schedule, no change was observed in the number of milk presentations of either line as they aged, but there was a declining trend in the rate of responding of the TS similar to that observed in the TS under the IRA schedule. These data indicate there is not an age related decline in the ability to learn in TS. Supported in part by NIH grant HD047656 (G.R.W.) and the NIEHS pre‐doctoral training grant 5T32ES01952.