Avoidance learning under delayed shock termination in prenatally x-irradiated rats.
Groups of MPI male albino rats were exposed to x-irradiation of 200 rad on Day 17 of gestation. Irradiated and control rats were trained in a shuttle box with either immediate or .5-sec delayed termination of both the electric shock (US) and the conditioned stimulus (CS) on escape trials. An avoidance response always produced prompt CS termination. Irradiated rats showed a higher degree of avoidance behaviour than controls and, under the delay condition, tended to run rapidly in the CS-US interval.
D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000528:radiation effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000528:radiation effects; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004597:Electroshock; D004924:Escape Reaction / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats