Jonathan Redrico Prof.

Gabrielle Weitzel BIOSC 130-2739 20 November 2012 Research Project: Abstract

THE EFFECTS OF CAFFEINE AND NICOTINE ON LEARNING AND MEMORY RECALL IN MUS MUSCULUS Jonathan G. Redrico

Mice that were orally administered diluted aqueous solutions of caffeine and nicotine via water bottle were observed for the effects on their performance in a maze in which the solution was to find the food in a fixed position. For each mouse, the times taken to reach the solution, the path taken in the maze, the amount of solutions ingested, and behavioral patterns were recorded. It was found that the mice that have been administered caffeine were found to have shorter times to solve the maze on average and an earlier improvement in maze performance than a control group; mice that have been administered nicotine were found to have longer times to solve the maze on average and a delayed improvement in maze performance than a control group. The data supports the conclusion that caffeine promotes and nicotine inhibits learning and memory recall.