THE UTERINE ENVIRONMENT ENHANCES COGNITIVE COMPETENCE

GENETICALLY identical mouse embryos were transferred into same-strain uteri (transfer controls) or into hybrid uteri. A third group was not transferred. When adult, the mice were given a series of behavioral te sts. In-strain transfer controls differed from non-transfer mice only on two activity measures, and did not differ on any cognitive variable . In contrast, mice reared in hybrid uteri were found to be superior t o in-strain transfer mice on discrimination learning, Lashley maze lea rning and Morris maze learning; they also showed better adaptation in an avoidance learning shuttlebox. To our knowledge this is the first s tudy showing that the uterine environment can have a general enhancing effect upon cognitive competence across a broad range of behaviors.