Concord grape juice reverses the age-related impairment in latent learning in rats

Abstract

Objective

Two experiments were conducted to determine if dietary supplementation with Concord grape juice could reverse the latent learning impairment normally observed in middle-aged male rats.

Methods

Both experiments utilized the latent cue preference (LCP) task, in which water-replete rats sample water in one compartment of a three-compartment box, and are subsequently given a compartment preference test when water-deprived to determine if they remember the compartment cue previously associated with water. In the first experiment, 40 male Sprague-Dawley rats (9, 10, 11, or 12 months old) were used to determine the age of onset of the impairment. In the second experiment, 24 male Sprague-Dawley rats (11 months old) were given daily access (10 ml/day) to 50% Concord grape juice, 50% white grape juice, or a calorically-equivalent sugar solution daily for 5 weeks prior to training.

Results

The first experiment revealed that the latent learning impairment begins to manifest at 10 months of age in the male rats and is fully present at 11 months. The second experiment showed that rats that consumed the 50% Concord grape juice for 5 weeks beginning at 11 months of age showed intact latent learning in the LCP task, while rats that consumed the other two supplements showed the normal impairment on the LCP task.

Discussion

These results indicate that daily supplementation with Concord grape juice was able to reverse the latent learning impairment normally seen in middle-aged male rats. This reversal is most likely due to the presence of flavonoids in Concord grape juice.

Keywords:

• Latent learning
• Concord grape juice
• White grape juice
• Middle age

Acknowledgements

This research was funded by a grant from the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) Faculty Professional Development Council. The authors would also like to thank Jessica L. Barry for her assistance in conducting the second experiment of this study.