Visual discrimination and reversal learning in aged common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)

Abstract

Common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) have been suggested as a new model for analysis of age-related changes and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the effects of age on learning and memory processes are not well defined within this species. Therefore, we employed visual discrimination and reversal learning tasks to evaluate learning and memory in four aged common marmosets relative to a younger cohort. We found that aged marmosets commit significantly more errors in initial stages of visual discrimination and more perseverative errors in reversal learning, indicating prefrontal dysfunction. However, they showed comparable performance with younger marmosets in the later stages of both tasks.

Keywords: Aging; Marmoset; Reversal learning; Visual discrimination learning.