The SAMPs (P8) mouse strain develops deficits in learning and memory r
elatively early in its lifespan. This review provides an overview of t
he age-related changes that occur in P8 mice. Behavioral studies with
Ps mice show impaired acquisition and retention as early as 4 months o
f age. Deficits in acquisition and retention occur with both aversive
and appetitive training tasks. Anatomical studies have detected a numb
er of age-related changes that occur in the central nervous system of
P8 mice. The age-related increase in amyloid beta protein is well corr
elated with the age-related decline in learning and memory. Antibody t
o amyloid beta protein injected prior to training alleviated impaired
acquisition and retention, whereas post-training injections alleviated
retention deficits in older P8 mice. Biochemical studies have detecte
d numerous age-related changes with reduced NMDA receptor activity mos
t closely related to impaired learning and memory in P8 mice. Pharmaco
logical studies have found age-related functional changes in the abili
ty of drugs to improve memory processing in P8 mice in the septum and
the hippocampus. The specific pattern of pharmacological changes and t
he inferred change in neurotransmitter activity suggest that age-relat
ed impairment in memory processing may be due to impaired septohippoca
mpal interactions. The proposal that P8 mice may be a useful model for
studying the early phases of age-related dementia of the Alzheimer ty
pe, while still requiring considerable study, seems reasonable. Publis
hed by Elsevier Science Ltd.