Noncontingent footshock attenuation of retrograde amnesia: a generalization effect

Mice were either well trained and rendered amnesic with transcorneal electroconvulsive shock (ECS) or poorly trained on a one-trial inhibitory avoidance task and given a retention test 24 and 48 hr later. Noncontingent footshock administered either 1 hr after the training or 1 hr after the 24 hr test significantly increased retention latencies of groups which had received training and ECS, as well as those of groups which were poorly trained. These findings suggest that animals which are partially amnesic or poorly trained are able to generalize the effects of a subsequent NCFS experience to the inhibitory avoidance training task.