Psychometric testing in rats during normal ageing. Procedures and results

Examples are given for assessing parameters for motor activity learning and memory. By using the method of the open field the authors could verify that motor activity decreases with age and that it underlies obviously endogenous rhythms which undergo age dependent alterations (e.g. diminution of the amplitude). From the results of an investigation on the influence of ageing and stress on learning ability and memory of the rat the authors draw the following conclusions: Learning ability declines with advancing age. The effect of ageing on memory could not be clearly shown. The effect of the stressors used (crowding and noise) seems to depend on the season of the year (circannual biorhythm).