SynthesisThe European journal of neuroscience2009
Age matters.
Synthesis in The European journal of neuroscience, 2009. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 161 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
161 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Are behavioural and inflammatory profiles different according to type of stressor, developmental stage, and sex in rodent models of depression? A systematic review.Molecular psychiatry · 2025Pooled it
- Ovarian Hormones and Addictive Behaviour Vulnerability: Insights From Preclinical Studies.Addiction biology · 2025Pooled it
- "The wrong tools for the right job": a critical meta-analysis of traditional tests to assess behavioural impacts of maternal separation.Psychopharmacology · 2023Pooled it
- Impact of Diet Consistency on the Mandibular Morphology: A Systematic Review of Studies on Rat Models.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Pooled it
- Age-related differences in the impact of cannabis use on the brain and cognition: a systematic review.European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience · 2019Pooled it
- Effect of a high-fat diet and alcohol on cutaneous repair: A systematic review of murine experimental models.PloS one · 2017Pooled it
- Neurobehavioural outcomes after term IUGR from adolescence to adulthood: a cross-species scoping review.Pediatric research · 2026Review
- Preclinical Rat Models in Oral Implant Dentistry: A Scoping Review of Study Design and Experimental Practices.Dentistry journal · 2026Review
- Evaluation of clinical chemistry using diluted sera in mice and rats.BMC veterinary research · 2026Article
- Iron-induced Oxidative Stress and Anxiety-like Behavior in Wistar Rats Following Systemic Iron Administration.Biological trace element research · 2026Article
- Adolescent onset of volitional ethanol intake normalizes sex differences observed with adult-onset ethanol intake and negative affective behaviors during protracted forced abstinence.Psychopharmacology · 2026Article
- Long-term effects of adolescent THC exposure on anxiety-like behavior and cognitive function in male rats.Psychopharmacology · 2026Article
- Population-level encoding of task information is stronger in the adolescent compared to adult frontal cortex.Developmental cognitive neuroscience · 2026Article
- Acute E2/P4 loss compromises the biology and function of neurogenic niches during a vulnerable female aging period.Stem cell reports · 2026Article
- Neurobiology of resilience to early life stress.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026Review
- Prefrontal cortex development and its implications in mental illness.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026Review
- A new two-hit animal model for schizophrenia research: Consequences on social behavior.IBRO neuroscience reports · 2025Article
- Effects of adolescent morphine exposure on brain stimulation reward sensitivity and dopamine neuron excitability.Physiology & behavior · 2025Article
- Oat bran fiber protects against radiation-induced disruption of gut barrier dynamics and mucosal damage.NPJ biofilms and microbiomes · 2025Article
- Improving Imaging Field of View of 3-D Transcranial Rat Brain Super-Resolution With Robotic Registered Compounding and Nonrigid Deformation Correction.IEEE transactions on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics, and frequency control · 2025Article
101 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
Abstract
The age of an experimental animal can be a critical variable, yet age matters are often overlooked within neuroscience. Many studies make use of young animals, without considering possible differences between immature and mature subjects. This is especially problematic when attempting to model traits or diseases that do not emerge until adulthood. In this commentary we discuss the reasons for this apparent bias in age of experimental animals, and illustrate the problem with a systematic review of published articles on long-term potentiation. Additionally, we review the developmental stages of a rat and discuss the difficulty of using the weight of an animal as a predictor of its age. Finally, we provide original data from our laboratory and review published data to emphasize that development is an ongoing process that does not end with puberty. Developmental changes can be quantitative in nature, involving gradual changes, rapid switches, or inverted U-shaped curves. Changes can also be qualitative. Thus, phenomena that appear to be unitary may be governed by different mechanisms at different ages. We conclude that selection of the age of the animals may be critically important in the design and interpretation of neurobiological studies.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.