Effects of Stress and Ovarian Hormone Levels on Learning and Memory
This research will investigate how stages of the estrous cycle, combined with stress, influence learning and memory in female rats. Ovarian hormones have been shown to affect the hippocampus, the part of the brain involved in learning and memory. Many studies have found that there is a positive relationship between ovarian hormone levels and synaptic activity in the CA1 pyramidal cells in the hippocampus. In spite of higher number of synapses, female rats often perform more poorly in mazes when hormone levels are high. This lab wants to take into account how stress may have a negative relationship on memory when combined with high levels of ovarian hormones. A water maze will be used to test learning and memory in adult female rats. The maze is assumed to be learned when latency and path length are reduced throughout trials. The rats will be tested during proestrus, high ovarian hormone levels, and estrus, low levels of ovarian hormones. Manipulating water temperature will test stress levels. High stress will be induced by cold water and low stress will be induced by warm water. It is hypothesized that rats will perform worse on memory tasks during proestrus and high stress levels.
School:
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Department:
Psychology
Research Advisor:
Janice Juraska
Department of Research Advisor:
Biological Psychology
Year of Publication:
2002