Influence of Donor-Recipient Brain Transfers on Avoidance Learning

Abstract

The brain extracts from donor animals, trained on intermittent punishment avoidance tasks, were transferred by intraperitoneal injections to naive recipients. Two types of control conditions were used, (1) the brain extracts from untrained donors were injected into naive recipients and (2) water injections were given to naive Ss. The recipient animals also received intermittent punishment-avoidance (running) training. Measurements were made of exploratory, first-trial avoidance, and extinction behaviors. Evidence suggested transfer of avoidance tendencies from donor to recipient Ss.

Chemical changes in the rat brain following escape training

“…The resuIts indicate that the levels of brain protein were quite responsive to this aversive experience, which confirms our previous fmding (Kleban et al, 1968). In the latter, recipient Ss injected intraperitoneally with donor supernatant showed a marked initial tendency to avoid the grid.…”

“…long~ was painted flat white and had a wooden floor. [Refer to Kleban et al (1968) for a more complete description of the apparatus.] .…”