Figure 1

Dietary soy phytoestrogens influence on acquisition (shaping to criterion) of the radial arm maze. Male (a; experiment 1) and female (b; experiment 2) Long-Evans rats were fed either a phytoestrogen rich (Phyto-600) diet or a phytoestrogen free (Phyto-free) diet lifelong (from conception to adulthood). a. Number of trials (Mean + SEM; one trial per day) required for males (experiment 1) to reach a set criterion level of performance in the eight-arm radial maze. ^* Phyto-600 fed females reached criterion significantly earlier than Phyto-free fed females (p < 0.05) b. Number of trials (Mean + SEM; one trial per day) required for females (experiment 2) to reach a set criterion level of performance in the eight-arm radial maze. ^* Phyto-free fed males reached criterion significantly earlier than Phyto-600 fed males (p < 0.05)