Impacts of chronic and acute phase-shifting in male and female rats

xiv, 181 leaves : ill. (some col.) ; 29 cmThis thesis assessed the impacts of acute and chronic phase-shifting on learning and memory in male and female rats. Previous research has revealed impaired retention immediately following circadian disruption and on the acquisition of new associations. However, whether behaviour resumes normality following circadian re-entrainment is unresolved. Following circadian re-entrainment, retention of pre-phase-shift acquired associations on Morris water task (MWT) and a visual discrimination task designed on the 8-arm radial maze were tested. Subsequently, an extradimensional set shift (EDS) using the 8-arm radial maze was performed. Acute circadian disruption negatively impacted retention in males and females, but only male rats without running wheels exhibited impairment following chronic phase-shifting on MWT performance. Retention on the visual discrimination task was impaired following chronic, but not acute, circadian disruption. Chronic, but not acute, phase-shifting negatively impacted performance on the EDS. Generally, phase-shifting produced differential negative impacts on cognitive function in rats