![Age-dependent declines in spatial learning can be reversed by enhancing sleep. (A) Sleep, in minutes per hour, was reduced in 21–24 days old flies (green) compared with 5-day-old controls (blue) (n = 20–27 flies/group, repeated measures ANOVA age × time; F[23,966] = 5.49, p < 0.001). (B) Total sleep was reduced in 21–24 days old flies compared with 5-day-old flies;*p < 0.01, t-test. (C) Aging reduced average daytime sleep bout duration; p < 0.05, t-test. (D) Waking activity was not impaired in 21–24 days old flies (n.s. p = 0.83). (E) Spatial learning was impaired in 21–24 days old flies compared with 5-day-old flies (n = 10–14 flies/group, *p < 10−4). (F) Age did not disrupt heat avoidance (n = 10 flies/condition, n.s. p = 0.49). (G) Age did not impair optomotor responses (n = 51–62 flies/condition, *p < 10–5). (H) Gaboxadol (Gab) increased sleep in 21–24 days old flies (n = 20 flies/group, *p < 10−10). (I) Gaboxadol increased average daytime sleep bout duration in 21–25 days old flies (green) compared with age-matched controls (blue) (*p < 10−4, t-test). (J) Spatial learning was restored to Gaboxadol-fed 21–24 days old flies (green) compared with age-matched vehicle-fed controls (n = 9–10 flies/condition, *p < 10−4, t-test). (K) Spatial learning was significantly higher in 21–24 days old R23E10-GAL4/+>UAS-NaChBac/+ flies compared with age-matched R23E10-GAL4/+ and UAS-NaChBac/+parental controls (n = 8–10 flies/genotype, One-way ANOVA for genotype F[2,49] = 4.59, p < 0.05, *p < 0.01, modified Bonferroni test).](https://oup.silverchair-cdn.com/oup/backfile/Content_public/Journal/sleep/44/3/10.1093_sleep_zsaa197/2/zsaa197_fig5.jpeg?Expires=1749690833&Signature=xkyasCIV7vdoL32yUPW8kf63T7NaDvBrOAsC1FyGHOXqxFtJq-LZ6-FQz1oedN~EmPgwaPRC2d7wgwsZIAkOH4ylc0tAI8h5rbAwLgUeYkx9YLcWVg6TD4lIFMgHpLdKAdoME1Y7wyORKpp0t-6SkVaAVyTTfJvDIUSbCzy7N1mgKfU-XL2kVD6vUCou51KcPlKxpbszx46sKua72Wd~Gkn-JjZZ~Dm-Y3WWL6j2QJ5LHXadl~BueDZmQ3uSCIGCw~dlPrP5nOmiqXVoERomdXamTDEGTIw8qfQUA6z-e~bBkErN1zBPLXSvCT-a4MYXRRwsSSdhdjJMKrVuzLxigQ__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAIE5G5CRDK6RD3PGA)
Age-dependent declines in spatial learning can be reversed by enhancing sleep. (A) Sleep, in minutes per hour, was reduced in 21–24 days old flies (green) compared with 5-day-old controls (blue) (n = 20–27 flies/group, repeated measures ANOVA age × time; F[23,966] = 5.49, p < 0.001). (B) Total sleep was reduced in 21–24 days old flies compared with 5-day-old flies;*p < 0.01, t-test. (C) Aging reduced average daytime sleep bout duration; p < 0.05, t-test. (D) Waking activity was not impaired in 21–24 days old flies (n.s. p = 0.83). (E) Spatial learning was impaired in 21–24 days old flies compared with 5-day-old flies (n = 10–14 flies/group, *p < 10−4). (F) Age did not disrupt heat avoidance (n = 10 flies/condition, n.s. p = 0.49). (G) Age did not impair optomotor responses (n = 51–62 flies/condition, *p < 10–5). (H) Gaboxadol (Gab) increased sleep in 21–24 days old flies (n = 20 flies/group, *p < 10−10). (I) Gaboxadol increased average daytime sleep bout duration in 21–25 days old flies (green) compared with age-matched controls (blue) (*p < 10−4, t-test). (J) Spatial learning was restored to Gaboxadol-fed 21–24 days old flies (green) compared with age-matched vehicle-fed controls (n = 9–10 flies/condition, *p < 10−4, t-test). (K) Spatial learning was significantly higher in 21–24 days old R23E10-GAL4/+>UAS-NaChBac/+ flies compared with age-matched R23E10-GAL4/+ and UAS-NaChBac/+parental controls (n = 8–10 flies/genotype, One-way ANOVA for genotype F[2,49] = 4.59, p < 0.05, *p < 0.01, modified Bonferroni test).
