Effect of septal dysfunction on fear conditioning apart from performance effects such as response perseveration and decrement in freezing was determined. Rats were subjected to tone-shock pairings while in a state of temporary septal dysfunction resulting from injection of procaine into the septum via chronically implanted cannulae. Nonoperated, cannula-only, saline-injected, and delayed procaine-injected groups were controls. When tested for conditioned suppression in the normal state, rats that had been conditioned immediately following procaine injection suppressed significantly less than did controls, indicating that septal dysfunction impaired conditioning. The deficit could be partially responsible for previously reported effects of septal damage on passive avoidance. Procaine injection also temporarily reduced freezing elicited by the CS, whereas electrolytic septal damage caused a permanent deficit in freezing behavior.
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