Effects of increased pressures of oxygen and air on short-term memory in mice.
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of increased oxygen tensions on short-term memory in mice following one-trial, passive-avoidance learning. Neither increased oxygen tensions per se nor 6 ATA air had any measurable deleterious effects on retention of the learned task. Interference with memory of the learned task occurred only when the animals were subjected to oxygen-induced convulsions. Oxygen-induced convulsions did not result in permanent brain damage such that the animals were incapable of learning. Oxygen-induced convulsions following a 2-h interval after learning did not result in a retrograde amnesia. It appears that oxygen-induced convulsions interferes with the consolidation process of memory.
D000399:Air Pressure; D000818:Animals; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051379:Mice; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced; D013997:Time Factors