Influence of normobaric hypoxia on learning capacity of different aged rats

In this study it was tested to what extent subchronic normobaric hypoxia (10% oxygen by volume) influences the learning performance of rats of different ages (4, 20, 30 months). The animals were presented with two successive conditioning patterns (FR 10/DRL). After acquisition of the FR 10 under normoxic conditions in a Skinner box the rats needed to reestablish the learned behavior under normoxia and further under hypoxia. Following this, the rats had to learn the DRL in a test chamber under the conditions of reduced oxygen. Their performance was compared with that of control animals which had to accomplish the tasks under normoxia. No age differences were observed under normoxia in learning the FR 10. However, the reestablishment of FR 10 under hypoxic conditions was less well performed by old rats than younger ones. The young rats (4 months) had a high efficiency level on the DRL-schedule under normoxia which was not impaired by hypoxia. The old rats (30 months) had considerably lower performance level under normoxia which was not further reduced in individuals by hypoxia. The performance of the middle group (20 months) was, under normoxia, at an intermediate level, while oxygen reduction led to a pronounced reduction in efficiency.