Cuttlefish memories retain their sharpness as they grow

Elderly cuttlefish have better memories than older people.

The fish can recall events up to the last few days of their lives, according to a new study, which is regarded to be the first evidence of an animal whose memory of specific events does not decrease as it ages.

Memory tests were performed on 24 common cuttlefish, and the results revealed that, unlike humans, the species’ episodic memory does not deteriorate with age.

This is assumed to be owing to the hippocampus, a component of the brain found only in humans but absent in cuttlefish.

From the University of Cambridge’s department of psychology, Dr. Alexandra Schnell said, “Cuttlefish can remember what they ate, where and when, and use this to guide their feeding decisions in the future.”

“What’s surprising is that they don’t lose this ability with age, despite showing other signs of aging like loss of muscle function and appetite.”

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