An extinction trial as a reminder treatment following electroconvulsive shock

Abstract

Animals given electroconvulsive shock (ECS) following active avoidance training were found to exhibit poor retention of the active avoidance response. However, this deficit was alleviated if the animals received an extinction trial for active avoidance prior to retention testing. That the trial was an extinction trial was demonstrated by the fact that exposure to the trial decremented the performance of animals not given ECS after learning. The implications of these findings for explanations of retrograde amnesia are discussed. © 1980 Psychonomic Society, Inc.