Rationale Neuropsychological testing is widespread in adult cocaine abusers, but lacking in teens. Animal models may provide insight into age-related neuropsychological consequences of cocaine exposure. Objectives Determine whether developmental plasticity protects or hinders behavioral flexibility after cocaine exposure in adolescent vs. adult rats. Methods Using a yoked-triad design, one rat controlled cocaine delivery and the other two passively received cocaine or saline. Rats controlling cocaine delivery (1.0 mg/kg) self-administered for 18 sessions (starting P37 or P77), followed by 18 drug-free days. Rats next were tested in a strategy set shifting task, lasting 11–13 sessions. Results Cocaine self-administration did not differ between age groups. During initial set formation, adolescent-onset groups required more trials to reach criterion and made more errors than adult-onset groups. During the set shift phase, rats with adult-onset cocaine self-administration experience had higher proportions of correct trials and fewer perseverative + regressive errors than age-matched yoked-controls or rats with adolescent-onset cocaine self-administration experience. During reversal learning, rats with adult-onset cocaine experience (self-administered or passive) required fewer trials to reach criterion and the self-administering rats made fewer perseverative + regressive errors than yoked-saline rats. Rats receiving adolescent-onset yoked-cocaine had more trial omissions and longer lever press reaction times than age-matched rats self-administering cocaine or receiving yoked-saline. Conclusions Prior cocaine self-administration may impair memory to reduce proactive interference during set shifting and reversal learning in adult-onset but not adolescent-onset rats (developmental plasticity protective). Passive cocaine may disrupt aspects of executive function in adolescent-onset but not adult-onset rats (developmental plasticity hinders).

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generally high (M score¼0.85, SD¼0.21), with 44.9% achieving a perfect score. Mean MAC-Q score was 20.15 (SD¼3.40) when comparing memory to function in their twenties and 17.96 (SD¼2.93) when comparing with others the same age. Both MAC-Q scores were significantly correlated with ADRI total risk (comparing with twenties r S (1154)¼0.10, p¼0.001; comparing with others r S (1154)¼0.11, p<0.001), while only the score for comparing with others the same age was correlated with lifestyle risk (r S (1154)¼0.16, p<0.001). Memory task scores were significantly correlated with total risk (r S (1154)¼-0.11, p<0.001) and lifestyle risk (r S (1154)¼-0.08, p¼0.01), but not with MAC-Q scores. Conclusions:This study found no association between subjective and objective memory. However, greater risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, based on risk factor exposure, was associated with both poorer memory performance and higher subjective memory complaints. Further elucidating relationships between modifiable lifestyle risk factors and memory could have implications for community-based dementia prevention interventions.

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