EFFECTS OF AGING AND HYPERTENSION ON LEARNING, MEMORY, AND ACTIVITY IN RATS

A comparison between behavioral alterations induced by hypertension an d aging was made in spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) of different ages (3-24 months old), trained to perform aut oshaping learning and activity tasks. Food-deprived rats received auto shaping training sessions during 6 days; the animals were retrained 1 month later. Two weeks after autoshaping training, the animals were ev aluated in the spontaneous activity task during 2 consecutive days. Th e results show an age-related decrease in learning, memory, and sponta neous activity. Independently of the age group compared, WKY, though s howing lower activity, learned and retrieved more than SHR. Accordingl y, the reductions in learning and memory were correlated with both agi ng and hypertension. The combined influence of these two factors had s ynergistic detrimental effects on cognitive functions.