INTERFERENCE WITH RELEARNING IN RAT AFTER HIPPOCAMPAL INJECTION OF ACTINOMYCIN D

Injection of actinomycin D into the hippocampus of the rat suppressed the synthesis of RNA and caused spike discharges in that area of the brain. Ss were 45 male Royal Victoria rats. Under these conditions, Ss showed deficits in both learning and relearning of a position discrimination in a T maze. Cortical injection of the same drug did not give rise to such deficits; whereas lesions in the hippocampus produced a deficit in learning but not in relearning. The spike discharges, rather than the suppression of macromolecular synthesis, appear to be responsible for the deficits. (17 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1969 American Psychological Association.