[Effect of noncontingent electric shocks on subsequent avoidance learning in the rat, in a maze situation]

Rats were put in a Y maze and then pretreated with 0, 1, 3, or 10 noncontingent electric shocks. One day later, they were given an avoidance conditioning in the same apparatus. The 1-preshock group performed as well as the o-preshock group (control group). As compared to the control group, we found a facilitation of the avoidance response in the 3-preshock group and an impairment of the escape response in the 10-preshock groups. The impairment was still shown by the subjects when 3 weeks elapsed between the 10-preshock session and the learning session.