Effect of intracerebral actinomycin D and of electroconvulsive shock on passive avoidance.

Abstract

Intracerebral injections of actinomycin D impaired performance of some rats on a passive avoidance task but did not appear to interfere with memory of the punishing shock. ECS [electroconvulsive shock], on the other hand, seemed to produce a true amnesia in some Ss [subjects] for the passive avoidance situation. Injections caused a profound inhibition of RNA synthesis, the degree of which was unrelated to occurrence or nonoccurrence of performance deficit or to its extent. These results suggest that DNA-dependent synthesis of RNA is not a necessary condition for learning.