Effects of early sensory deprivation on spatial learning in adult rats

Abstract

Following vibrissae removal in early ontogenesis from P1 (post-natal day 1) to P30, three-month old rats were trained to run for food in an 8-arm radial maze. Training started at the age of three months. Adult rats demonstrated ability to perform the behavioral task; however, their performance was not as good as in the control group. Our findings revealed the differences in the rats` exploratory strategy and key behavioral tactics of entering the maze arms at a certain angle. The results show that active vibrissae sensing plays an important role in shaping rat behavioral tactics during spatial learning in the 8-arm radial maze.