Title
Stimulation of specific regions of brain in rats modifies retention for newly acquired and old habits
Document Type
Article
Department or Administrative Unit
Psychology
Publication Date
1977
Abstract
Three experiments investigated some effects of low-level stimulation on the amygdaloid complex (AMYG) and the mesencephalic reticular formation (MRF) in male Long-Evans rats. Exp I used a tilt box to test for motivational and/or reinforcement effects but failed to demonstrate these effects with stimulation of either structure. Exp II used a 1-trial fear-conditioning task and showed that stimulation of the AMYG disrupted retention when given immediately after training or, under some conditions, 4 days after training. Using the same task, Exp III showed that stimulation of the MRF enhanced retention when given immediately after training or, under some conditions, 4 days after training. Data indicate that under these conditions, modification of retention by low-level stimulation of specific brain structures is independent of the age of the memory.
Recommended Citation
DeVietti, T. L., & Kirkpatrick, B. R. (1977). Stimulation of specific regions of brain in rats modifies retention for newly acquired and old habits. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 91(3), 662–673. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0077343
Journal
Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology
Rights
Copyright © 1977, American Psychological Association
Comments
This article was originally published in Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology. The full-text article from the publisher can be found here.
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