Harrison D W, Pavlik W B
Behav Neural Biol. 1983 Nov;39(2):268-76. doi: 10.1016/s0163-1047(83)90944-5.
The present study was designed to investigate the differential effects of environmental factors on performance in young and aged rats. Specifically, within- and between-session habituation, environmental preexposure, and noise conditions were examined. Consistent age differences were found in response to environmental change and sensory condition. Variable-interval response rates of the well-habituated old animal were well below those of the young. Stimulus change and increments in noise elevated these behaviors in the aged to levels well above those seen in the young. Aged animals appeared incapable of maintaining higher response rates without corresponding conditions of novelty, contextual change, or increments in ambient sensory conditions. Preexposure to sensory conditions similar to those used in the operant chamber reduced response rates in the old, as did habituation with repeated exposure to the chamber.
本研究旨在调查环境因素对幼年和老年大鼠行为表现的不同影响。具体而言，研究了实验阶段内和实验阶段间的习惯化、环境预暴露以及噪声条件。在对环境变化和感官条件的反应中发现了一致的年龄差异。习惯良好的老年动物的可变间隔反应率远低于幼年动物。刺激变化和噪声增加使老年动物的这些行为提高到远高于幼年动物的水平。老年动物似乎无法在没有相应的新奇条件、环境变化或周围感官条件增加的情况下维持较高的反应率。与操作箱中使用的类似感官条件的预暴露降低了老年动物的反应率，反复暴露于操作箱的习惯化也有同样的效果。
