Abstract
The effects of fornix transection on “learned helplessness,” the phenomenon where prior experience with uncontrollable aversive stimulation interferes with later adaptive responding, were studied. Rats were subjected to fornix transection or control procedures, exposed to unavoidable preshock or not, and then tested for escape/avoidance performance in a shuttlebox. As in earlier studies, control rats receiving unavoidable preshock exhibited longer escape latencies in the helplessness test than non-preshocked animals. However, fornix-transected rats did not show this effect of preshock. These findings suggest that the hippocampal system is involved in learned helplessness.
Published Version
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