DECLINE AND PRESERVATION OF REVERSAL-LEARNING ABILITIES AND ACQUISITION IN THE COURSE OF SENESCENCE

Different types of learning and memory functions decrease at different rates in senescence. The present study examines which types of mental functions show a relatively early decline and which learning abilitie s are relatively preserved in late senescence by investigating differe nt types of learning abilities in water maze tests. Two groups of sene scent male Wistar rats aged 24 months (group W24) and 30 months (group W30), respectively, were compared to adult rats (12 months, group W12 ). Group W24 represents 'senescent' and group W30 'late-senescent' rat s. Whereas acquisition showed a relatively late decline (in group W30) , reversal learning was impaired relatively early (group W24).