Effects of ribonuclease on acquisition and retention of escape-avoidance behavior in a selectively bred rat strain

Abstract

Before and during the acquisition of escape-avoidance behavior, ribonuclease was administered to rats of a strain selectively bred for high rates of avoidance conditioning. In two replications of the experiment, it was found that the animals injected with 0.01-gm/kg ribonuclease in saline for 7 days before the behavioral testing was undertaken did not show any appreciable acquisition of the conditioned response, whereas the animals injected with the same dosage 7 days before testing as well as during 7 days of training acquired the response, starting the fourth day of training; on the seventh day, these animals were not any different from the control groups, which went through the same procedure except that only saline injections were administered.