Summary
Postsession strychnine injections have been shown to retard acquisition rates of the classically conditioned nictitating membrane response (CCNMR) of rabbits trained at a CS-US interval of 1000 msec. The particular interval value employed in CCNMR acquisition was found to be important in the magnitude of the postsession strychnine effect. Strychnine Ss trained at a CS-US interval=1250 msec (nonoptimal) were significantly depressed in acquisition rates relative to saline controls, while strychnine Ss trained at a CS-US interval=250 msec (optimal) were not. Interpretations are based upon the presumed effects of CNS excitants on memory consolidation and possible neurological correlates of the CS-US interval parameter.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Bovet, D., McGaugh, J. L., Oliverio, A.: Effects of posttrials administration of drugs on avoidance learning of mice. Life Sci. 5, 1309–1319 (1966).
Calhoun, W. H.: Effect of level of external stimulation in learning and interaction of this effect with strychnine treatment in mice. Psychol. Rep. 18, 715–722 (1966).
Cholewiak, R. W., Hammond, R., Seigler, I. C., Papsdorf, J. D.: The effects of strychnine sulphate on the classically conditioned nictitating membrane response of the rabbit. J. comp. physiol. Psychol. 66, 77–81 (1968).
Gormezano, I.: Classical conditioning. In: J. B. Sidowski (Ed.): Experimental instrumentation in psychology. New York: McGraw-Hill 1966.
Hartman, T. F., Grant, D. A.: Differential eyelid conditioning as a function of the CS-US interval. J. exp. Psychol. 64, 131–136 (1962).
Hudspeth, W. J.: Strychnine: Its facilitatory effect on the solution of a simple oddity problem by the rat. Sciences 145, 1331–1333 (1964).
Irwin, S.: Response to Pearl, J., and McKean, D. B. Pentylenetetrazol: Failure to improve memory in mice. Science 157, 22 (1967).
John, E. R.: Mechanisms of memory. New York: Academic Press 1967.
Krivanek, J., Hunt, E.: Unpublished observations (1967). Cited by J. L. McGaugh. Paper read at Sixth Annual Meeting of the American College of Neuropsycho-pharmacology: San Juan, Puerto Rico, December 1967.
McGaugh, J. L.: Time-dependence processes in memory storage. Science 153, 1351–1358 (1966).
—, Thomson, C. W., Westbrook, W. H., Hudspeth, W. J.: A further study of learning facilitation with strychnine sulphate. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 3, 352–360 (1962).
Petrinovitch, L. F., Bradford, D., McGaugh, J. L.: Drug facilitation of memory in rats. Psychon. Sci. 2, 191–192 (1965).
Schneiderman, N., Gormezano, I.: Conditioning of the nictitating membrane response of rabbit as a function of CS-US interval. J. comp. physiol. Psychol. 57, 188–195 (1964).
Smolin, L. N., Samko, N. N.: Action of strychnine sulphate on the specific somatosensory projection pathway. Int. J. Neuropharm. 7, 155–160 (1968).
Winer, B. J.: Statistical principles in experimental design. New York: McGraw-Hill 1962.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Levinthal, C.F., Papsdorf, J.D. Experimental variables in the effects of postsession injections of strychnine sulphate on a classically conditioned response. Psychopharmacologia 17, 100–104 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00402096
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00402096