Reduction of retroactive effects of interpolated maze training in hypothermic mice

¹ Department of Physiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York

In two experiments the retroactive effect of maze training interpolated between an initial acquisition phase and a testing phase was determined in mice. In the first experiment a retroactive inhibitory effect was demonstrated in animals given interpolated training for the reversal of an acquired maze response. In the second experiment the interpolated activity was either habit reversal, overtraining, or practice swimming. When the interpolated activity was initiated in the presence of hypothermia habit reversal did not occur, no retroactive inhibition was shown, and facilitation of performance from overtraining or practice swimming was negated. The data support the hypothesis that hypothermia maintained during maze training reduces the negative (retroactive inhibition) as well as positive (facilitation) effects that such training has upon the performance of a previously acquired maze habit.

Submitted on January 16, 1964