Neuroscience
Cuttlefish, an octopus relative, retain their cognitive powers as they grow older.
Even in old age, cuttlefish remain as mentally sharp as ever.
Ageing mammals — especially humans — gradually lose their ability to remember specific events. To find out whether the same is true of molluscs, an invertebrate group that includes clams, snails and octopuses, Alexandra Schnell at Cambridge University, UK, and her colleagues taught six older common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) that a seafood snack in their tanks changed location depending on the time of day. The old cuttlefish learnt to associate the time and location just as well as six young cuttlefish did.
Next, the researchers tested how well the molluscs could recall a specific memory about where and when they had eaten a specific snack for breakfast and use that memory to search for the food. Older cuttlefish were slightly better than young animals at this task, leading the researchers to conclude that they are the first known animal to not undergo mental decline with age.
It’s still unclear which unique features of the cuttlefish brain anatomy and physiology lead to this phenomenon.
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