[Effects of tail suspension on learning and memory function of mice]

Objective. To study the effects of simulated weightlessness on learning and memory capability of the brain. Method. Accuracy fraction, error frequency and pass rate were observed among control, restrained control, tail suspended (TS) control, restrained, and tail suspended mice in square water maze tests. And latent period and error time were observed in control and 30 degrees tail suspension mice in step down test. Result. The indices did not change significantly during learning period. Accuracy fraction of tail suspended group was reduced significantly in the tests as compared with pretest values. In step down test, latent period and error time showed no difference between TS 5 h and 2 d in untrained mice, but shortened evidently after TS 2 d and prolonged after TS 7 d in trained mice, which suggested the degradation of learning and memory ability after TS 5 h and 2 d respectively. Conclusion. Acute tail suspension depressed brain's learning ability and quality, while tail suspension of 7 d and 12 d impaired the spatial memory in mice.