Enrichment enhances spatial memory and increases synaptophysin levels in aged female mice (2003)

Frick, K. M., Fernandez, S. M.

Abstract

Female C57BL/6 mice, (4 or 27-28 months), were tested in spatial and cued Morris water maze tasks. Prior to (14 days) and during testing, a subset of aged females was exposed to rodent toys and running wheels for 3h per day. The remaining aged females were group housed but were not exposed to enriching objects. ..Enrichment improved spatial memory acquisition; relative to young controls, aged enriched females performed similarly, whereas aged control females were impaired. Enrichment also accelerated the development of a spatial bias in spatial probe trials. .. Hippocampal and cortical synaptophysin levels were increased in aged enriched females relative to young and aged controls.