Stability of spatial working memory across the estrous cycle of Long-Evans rats

In the adult rat, hippocampal dendritic synaptic connectivity in region CA1 fluctuates across the estrous cycle. This study examined the potential functional impact of such fluctuations on spatial working memory in regularly cycling Long-Evans rats. Rats were trained in a delayed non-match-to-sample radial-arm maze task and performance was monitored across the estrous cycle. There were no significant alterations in the acquisition or performance of the working memory task across the estrous cycle, with 1- or 4-h delays imposed between training and testing sessions. However, rats performed the task significantly more slowly on proestrus than on any other estrous cycle day under both delay conditions. These results indicate that while working memory remains stable, sensorimotor or motivational aspects of the performance of this radial-arm maze task may vary across the estrous cycle.