Aged and adult rats compared in acquisition and extinction of escape from the water maze: focus on individual differences

Abstract

Individual differences in water maze and open-field performance of aged and adult rats were compared in a cross-sectional study. Three- and 24-month-old rats were classified into superior, moderate, and inferior groups on the basis of escape latencies during hidden platform acquisition and were compared regarding water maze acquisition and extinction, and open-field behavior. Unexpectedly, subgroup differences were invariant across age: The inferior and superior maze learners differed in (a) thigmotactic swimming during water maze acquisition and extinction and (b) open-field rearings. Thus, although aging has a detrimental effect on water maze acquisition and extinction, the degree of impairment might be partly determined by individual novelty-induced rearing activity and thigmotactic swimming at adult ages.