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Keep cool: memory is retained during hibernation in Alpine marmots.
L E Clemens1, G Heldmaier, C Exner
1Department of Animal Physiology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Strasse 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany. marmot.laura@googlemail.com
Physiology & Behavior
|April 28, 2009
Summary
Hibernating Alpine marmots retain long-term memory after prolonged torpor. Learning and habituation behaviors remained intact, demonstrating that deep hibernation does not impair cognitive function in these animals.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Animal Behavior
- Chronobiology
Background:
- Hibernators undergo significant brain structural changes during deep torpor.
- Synaptic alterations occur during hibernation, raising questions about memory consolidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of hibernation on long-term memory in Alpine marmots (Marmota marmota).
- To assess if learning and habituation are affected by prolonged periods of torpor.
Main Methods:
- Operant conditioning tasks (jumping on boxes, walking through a tube) were used to test learning and memory.
- Habituation to a novel environment via repeated open-field exposure was assessed.
- Behavioral tests were conducted before and after a six-month hibernation period.
Main Results:
- Marmots demonstrated stable performance in operant conditioning tasks after hibernation, indicating unimpaired learning and memory.
- Habituation to a novel environment was preserved post-hibernation, with no significant change in exploratory behavior cessation.
- Memory stability during the active season was less robust than post-hibernation memory.
Conclusions:
- Long-term memory in Alpine marmots is unaffected by six months of deep hibernation.
- Hibernation does not lead to a loss of learned behaviors or habituation in this species.
- Brain changes during torpor do not compromise established long-term memories.
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