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Biomedical subjects

R L Sprott

Publications and source records attributed to R L Sprott.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1976

The effects of age and genotype upon the jaw-jerk reflex in inbred mice.

The threshold of the jaw-jerk reflex to electrical stimulation of the hard palate was measured in a cross-sectional design using C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice at 2, 8, 20, 25, and 30 mo of age, in order to assess CNS sensitivity as a function of increasing age. The thresholds of DBA/2J mice were higher than those of C57BL/6J mice at all ages tested. No age-related changes in threshold were observed in mice of either strain.

Aging↗
PubMed1975

Effects of age and genotype on acquisition of an active avoidance response in mice.

Two experiments were conducted in which inbred C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice were trained in an active avoidance jump-up task under distributed practice conditions at a variety of ages comprising a large part of their life-span. DBA/2J mice were found to be basically an escaping strain and exhibited little change in behavior as a function of age. C57BL/6J mice developed consistent avoidance behavior when training was initiated at 31-36 days of age. Avoidance behavior appeared to reach a peak in the 45-day-old group and progressively decreased in 145- and 560-day-old groups. Increased footshock intensity in old DBA/2J mice enhanced escape responding without increasing avoidance responding. Increased footshock intensity in old C57BL/6J mice enhanced avoidance responding.

Aging↗
PubMed1975

Behavioral studies using genetically defined mice. A bibliography.

References in this bibliography have been selected from the Subject-Strain Bibliography of Inbred Strains of Mice, maintained at The Jackson Laboratory, which attempts to include all published papers dealing with specific inbred strains of mice, named genes in mice, or named transplantable tumors. We have selected all references which appear to be of behavioral interest, including reports of the effects of neurological mutations, but have omitted genetic studies conducted with these mutants. Studies using "white", "Swiss", or undesignated mice are not included. This bibliography covers literature published from 1922 through late 1973. The authors would like to be informed of omissions, and to receive reprints of omitted papers. The bibliography is divided into three sections. The first section includes all references in which a behavioral measure appears to be the variable of primary interest. This section is divided into 16 behavioral categories: activity, aggression, audiogenic seizures, communication, emotionality, feeding, learning, maternal, memory, psychomotor, regulation, reproduction, biorhythms, sensation, social, and miscellaneous. References are assigned to a category on the basis of their apparent emphasis. The second section includes all references in which the effects of a treatment on behavior appear to be the variables of primary interest. This section is divided into nine treatment categories: age, alcohol, central nervous system, mutations, neonatal and teratogenic, population size, pharmacological agents, genetic selection, and miscellaneous. Where multiple treatments were used, references are assigned to the category of the most important treatment. The third section contains reviews and theoretical references. Each item in the bibliography is assigned to a category in one of the three sections and given a reference number. At the end of each category is a list of the reference numbers from other categories which contain information pertinent to that category. References are arranged alphabetically within each category.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Avoidance learning, behavior genetics, and aging: a critical review and comment on methodology.

Animal models of human aging problems are potentially of enormous value to gerontological research. Models of behavioral problems have not often lived up to their promise. This review examines one such model system, avoidance learning in aging rodents. This model system has become increasingly popular among behavioral gerontologists, yet it has not provided the unambiguous answers to experimental questions which investigators expected. Our effort has been to determine why the system has failed, and to provide useful suggestions for future research. At the same time we have tried to provide a comprehensive review of the relevant literature and to assess the strengths and weaknesses of studies which have been conducted in the last two decades.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Behavioral characteristics of C57BL/6J. DBA/2J, and B6D2F1 mice which are potentially useful for gerontological research.

This review summarizes the behavioral characteristics of C57BL/6J, DBA/2J, and B6D2F1, hybrid mice which are most likely to be of interest to gerontological scientists. Where possible, the characteristics of young and old mice are included. Where no information exists about the behavior of older mice of these genotypes, but there is reason to believe that information about mice might be useful for aging research, this information is included. The purpose of the review is to acquaint gerontologists with the availability of genetically defined animal models for aging research, to present what is known about these models, and to suggest areas of research which could profit from more attention.

Aggression↗
PubMed1967

Barometric pressure fluctuations: effects on the activity of laboratory mice.

Fluctuations in naturally occurring levels of barometric pressure appear to be an important determinant of activity in laboratory mice. In three experiments, activity was higher after increases in barometric pressure than it was after decreases. When the barometric pressure remained relatively stable, intermediate levels of activity were observed.

Animals↗
PubMed1966

The effects of electroconvulsive shock on the action of a reinforcing stimulus.

Three experiments sought to evaluate the effect of electroconvulsive shock on the action of a reinforcing stimulus. In all experiments behavior was maintained on a 2 min variable interval schedule for food reinforcement. Foot shock at the termination of a buzzer stimulus served as the reinforcing stimulus for conditioned suppression during the ensuing buzzer interval. Omission of foot shock at the termination of the buzzer stimulus was followed by normal responding (no conditioned suppression) during the next buzzer interval. In Exp I electroconvulsive shock followed foot shock at varying time intervals. In the first subsidiary experiment electroconvulsive shock followed an unreinforced buzzer stimulus at varying time intervals. In the second subsidiary experiment electroconvulsive shock followed foot shock at varying time intervals and an additional buzzer stimulus was sounded between the termination of foot shock and the onset of electroconvulsive shock. These three experiments demonstrated that electroconvulsive shock invariably abolished the effects of the reinforcing stimulus if it followed conditioning by no more than 10.0 sec and never had an effect if it followed conditioning by 12.5 sec or more; electroconvulsive shock was not acting as a reinforcing stimulus in this situation.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Development of animal models of aging at the National Institute of Aging.

The suitability of various animal species as experimental models of aging has been a continuing concern of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) for over 20 years. The history of the decisions made by NIA in providing aged animals for research may be helpful to individual investigators seeking to understand why certain models are available and which of them to choose for their work.

Aging↗