Biomaterial Database

Eyeblink conditioning deficits in the old cat. 1983

J Harrison, and J Buchwald

Acquisition of a conditioned eyeblink reflex was studied in aged cats 10-23 years old and young cats one to three years old. All ten young cats became conditioned within 1,000 trials, after a mean of 270 trials, with a stimulus protocol including a 1500 msec 4 kHz tone CS+ followed by a shock unconditioned stimulus, and click CS-. Nine of 15 aged cats failed to become conditioned with 1,000 trials. Six old cats became conditioned after a mean of 522 trials. Four aged cats tested with a simpler protocol involving a 400 msec CS+ and no click CS- became conditioned with less than 500 trials. All retained the conditioned response when clicks were added to the 400 msec CS+. Three aged animals which failed to become conditioned with the 1500 msec CS+ and clicks were trained with an 800 msec CS+ without clicks. Only one became conditioned within 500 trials. Thus duration of the tone CS+ was critically important for acquisition of a conditioned eyeblink response by aged cats.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D012018	Reflex	An involuntary movement or exercise of function in a part, excited in response to a stimulus applied to the periphery and transmitted to the brain or spinal cord.
D001767	Blinking	Brief closing of the eyelids by involuntary normal periodic closing, as a protective measure, or by voluntary action.	Orbicularis Oculi Reflex,Reflex, Blink,Reflex, Corneal,Reflex, Orbicularis Oculi,Winking,Blink Reflexes,Corneal Reflexes,Orbicularis Oculi Reflexes,Blink Reflex,Reflexes, Blink,Reflexes, Orbicularis Oculi
D002415	Cats	The domestic cat, Felis catus, of the carnivore family FELIDAE, comprising over 30 different breeds. The domestic cat is descended primarily from the wild cat of Africa and extreme southwestern Asia. Though probably present in towns in Palestine as long ago as 7000 years, actual domestication occurred in Egypt about 4000 years ago. (From Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th ed, p801)	Felis catus,Felis domesticus,Domestic Cats,Felis domestica,Felis sylvestris catus,Cat,Cat, Domestic,Cats, Domestic,Domestic Cat
D003214	Conditioning, Classical	Learning that takes place when a conditioned stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus.	Reflex, Conditioned,Classical Conditioning,Classical Conditionings,Conditioned Reflex,Conditionings, Classical
D004576	Electromyography	Recording of the changes in electric potential of muscle by means of surface or needle electrodes.	Electromyogram,Surface Electromyography,Electromyograms,Electromyographies,Electromyographies, Surface,Electromyography, Surface,Surface Electromyographies
D000375	Aging	The gradual irreversible changes in structure and function of an organism that occur as a result of the passage of time.	Senescence,Aging, Biological,Biological Aging
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia