Relationships Between Volitional Activity and Age in the Male Rat

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Abstract
Using standard activity wheels, the "volitional" activity of 89 male rats of five different ages was recorded daily for 7 consecutive weeks. Ages of the different animal groups at the time of entry into the exptl. apparatus were as follows: 51 days, 72 days, 100 days, 142 days, and 212 days. When environmental conditions of temp., light and sound level are controlled, volitional activity of the normal male rat measured in the wheel cage is a function of age and of the animal''s experience in the wheel. In addition to the direct contributions of age and experience, there is also an interaction between these two factors affecting volitional activity which is particularly important in younger animals. For animals of equal experience, activity varies inversely with age, and for animals of equal age, activity varies directly with experience.
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