Age Differences in Short-Term Memory and Cell Loss in the Cortex of the Rat

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Abstract
Studies with human and animal subjects have indicated age declines in short-term memory and cell loss in the cortex. Cell loss has been estimated by descriptive nonautomated methods. Declines in short-term memory may be related to reduced learning, motivation, motor capacity, or some combination of these factors. Passive-avoidance tests of memory minimize these factors. Direct correlational studies on learning and memory in relation to cell loss in the same subject are not feasible in man and they have not been reported previously in animals. The aims of this study were to examine age differences in learning and short-term passive-avoidance memory in relation to cell packing density in the visual cortex of the Fisher 344 rat. Cell counts were made with a computer-guided, automated, image-analyzing system (TAS, Leitz). The following observations were made: