Visual discrimination in the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) as a function of age

Ten young (8 weeks) and 10 old (26 weeks) male gerbils were tested for the acquisition of a visual discrimination task. Ss were given 10 daily six-trial sessions in a T-maze with a food reinforcement being associated with horizontal or vertical stripes. The older Ss failed to learn the discrimination habit, and the young Ss steadily improved over the 10 sessions.