Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Varty, G.B
• Hauger, R.L
• Geyer, M.A

Titel

Aging Effects on the Startle Response and Startle Plasticity in Fischer F344 Rats

Ist Teil von

• Neurobiology of aging, 1998-05, Vol.19 (3), p.243-251

Ort / Verlag

London: Elsevier Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

1998

Quelle

Elsevier Journal Backfiles on ScienceDirect (DFG Nationallizenzen)

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• The effects of aging on acoustic and airpuff startle reactivity, acoustic and airpuff startle habituation, acoustic and cross-modal (light-acoustic) prepulse inhibition (PPI), and fear-potentiated startle (FPS) were examined using 3- (Y: young), 11- (AD: adult), 17- (MA: middle-aged), and 22- (O: old) month-old Fischer F344 rats. AD rats had the highest acoustic startle reactivity with the Y and MA rats showing smaller and comparable startle levels. The O rats had diminished startle reactivity, with over a 65% reduction in responding. Airpuff startle reactivity was comparable in the Y and AD groups, while the MA and O groups had 40% and 80% reductions in airpuff startle respectively. There was an age-related increase in airpuff startle habituation. Acoustic and cross-modal PPI were reduced significantly in O rats when compared to other age groups. Finally, there were no effects of age on FPS. In summary, these studies suggest that in Fischer F344 rats, there are age-associated differences in startle reactivity, startle habituation, and PPI, but no aging effect on FPS.