T3 Doesn’t Improve Learning In Old Mice

[LeeLemonoil]

Age and cognitive status dependent differences in blood steroid and thyroid hormone concentrations in intact male rats. - PubMed - NCBI

 

[ecstatichamster]

thank you for posting this.

 

[Kartoffel]

Your title is misleading as this is not what the study says.

 

[LeeLemonoil]

Phrased better: Aged Mice with higher T3-levels are poorer learners than their peers with lower levels:

RESULTS: Aged good learners were similar to young rats in the behavioral task. Aged poor learners but not good learners showed higher levels of triiodothyronine (T3) as compared to young rats. Aged good learners had higher levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) than aged poor learning and young rats

 

[bmoores]

The Barnes maze test is not a memory test. It is more a measure of harm avoidance vs novelty seeking. Mice with more T3 are unafraid, full of novelty seeking, and feel no need to hide in a hole. They are probably hungrier than low metabolism counterparts and do a better look for food rather than hiding in a hole. Low metabolism rats are more stressed and go for the hiding place. The barnes maze test has been misused in a similar fashion to demonize fructose and say that estrogen improves memory. Fearful mice are said to be smarter

 

[ecstatichamster]

The Barnes maze test is not a memory test. It is more a measure of harm avoidance vs novelty seeking. Mice with more T3 are unafraid, full of novelty seeking, and feel no need to hide in a hole. They are probably hungrier than low metabolism counterparts and do a better look for food rather than hiding in a hole. Low metabolism rats are more stressed and go for the hiding place. The barnes maze test has been misused in a similar fashion to demonize fructose and say that estrogen improves memory. Fearful mice are said to be smarter

super interesting. Thank you.