Kopytova F V, Krivitskaya G N
Institute of the Brain, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow.
Neurosci Behav Physiol. 1993 Sep-Oct;23(5):419-27. doi: 10.1007/BF01183002.
The formation of trace rhythm assimilation (an analog of the conditioned reflex to time) by neurons of the sensorimotor cortex in response to prolonged (10-20 min) electrodermal stimulation of an extremity at a frequency of 0.5-1 or 2 Hz was investigated in awake adult (5-7 months), old (54-65 months), and very old (66-85 months) rabbits. The data of the spectral analysis of the impulse activity of 460 neurons showed aged-related differences in the formation of trace rhythm assimilation by neurons: it takes place after one to two series (1st to 2nd days of the experiment) in young animals; after two to four series of periodic stimulation (2nd to 3rd days of the experiment) in the old animals; in very old animals rhythmic stimulation essentially did not result in rhythm assimilation by cortical neurons. Quantitative and qualitative morphological changes in nerve and glial cells in the sensorimotor cortex of old rabbits as compared with young rabbits were identified. It is hypothesized that deviations in the course of mnestic processes observed in animals during aging may be associated with destructive phenomena in the neocortex during normal aging.
在清醒的成年（5 - 7个月）、老年（54 - 65个月）和非常老年（66 - 85个月）的兔子中，研究了感觉运动皮层神经元对肢体进行持续（10 - 20分钟）、频率为0.5 - 1或2赫兹的皮肤电刺激时，痕迹节律同化（时间条件反射的类似物）的形成情况。对460个神经元冲动活动的频谱分析数据表明，神经元在形成痕迹节律同化方面存在与年龄相关的差异：在幼龄动物中，一到两个系列（实验的第1至2天）刺激后发生；在老年动物中，经过两到四个系列的周期性刺激（实验的第2至3天）后发生；在非常老年的动物中，节律性刺激基本上不会导致皮层神经元的节律同化。与幼兔相比，老年兔感觉运动皮层神经细胞和神经胶质细胞在数量和质量上发生了形态变化。据推测，在衰老过程中动物记忆过程中观察到的偏差可能与正常衰老过程中新皮层的破坏现象有关。
