Figure 3
From: Learning and memory deficits produced by aspartame are heritable via the paternal lineage
Spatial working memory, spatial learning and learned helplessness in male and female F1 mice. Mice from the 0.015 to 0.03% aspartame lineages showed significant deficits in spontaneous alternation in the Y-maze compared to the mice from the control group (A; #; Mixed model ANOVA, p < 0.0001). Spatial learning was analyzed in the Barnes maze based on primary errors (Male: B,B′; Female: C,C′) and primary latency (Male: D,D′; Female: E,E′) during 10 daily acquisition of learning sessions and 4 daily reversal learning sessions. Sessions and lineage each produced significant effects on primary errors (B,C) and primary latency (D,E) during acquisition of learning phase (# Mixed model ANOVA; p < 0.0001). Males (F–H) and females (I–K) in all lineages transitioned from random or serial strategies to predominantly spatial strategy during acquisition of learning and reversal learning. However, male (F–H) and female (I–K) mice in the aspartame lineages lagged the mice in the control lineage in the transition during the acquisition of learning phase (Chi-square; p < 0.01). Time spent in the target quadrant during the probe trial (L) did not show significant effects of drinking water treatment. Similarly, the reversal effect based on a comparison of the primary error (M) or primary latency (N) between acquisition of learning session #10 and reversal learning session #1 did not show significant effects of drinking water treatment. Drinking water exposure did not produce significant effects on the total time immobile in the tail suspension test (O).
