Abstract
Forty rats were trained to avoid shock in a one-way automated ledge box. After acquisition of the avoidance response, the rats were administered an IP injection of Ringer’s solution or one of three dosages of ACTH dissolved in Ringer’s solution. Ten minutes after injection, the animal was replaced in the avoidance apparatus with the shock disconnected, and the number of trials required to extinguish the avoidance response was determined. This study was designed to determine if exogenous administration of whole ACTH could be shown to produce resistance to extinction of a shock avoidance, following the suggestion that the increase in resistance to extinction of shock avoidance observed after ethanol injections could be related to increased circulating ACTH levels. The results did not support the hypothesis that ACTH increases resistance to extinction in an active one-way shock avoidance situation.
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Ziskind, D., Baum, M. & Amit, Z. Failure of ACTH to influence avoidance extinction in a one-way avoidance situation. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 2, 425–426 (1973). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03334437
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03334437