Proactive interference effects on short-term memory in rats: I. Basic parameters and drug effects

An operant delayed-matching task was used to assess the role of proactive interference (PI) effects on short-term memory capacity of rats. Task performance was analyzed in terms of the influence of the sample positions and response choices on previous trials. PI was predominantly attributable to the influence of the immediately previous trial but not preceding trials and was abolished by increasing the intertrial intervals from 5 to 15 s. Nicotine induced a decline in choice accuracy only on trials in which the previous response had been to the side opposite the current sample and correct response, suggesting an increased susceptibility to PI. Physostigmine induced a mild, relatively nonspecific decline in response accuracy. Clonidine induced delay-dependent impairments irrespective of responses on previous trials. None of these drugs enhanced choice accuracy at any dose tested.