The effects of neonatal anoxia on the maze performance of adult rats

Low oxygen tension and discrimination reversal

An experimental group of 9 cats were trained to a visual form discrimination; the valences of the stimuli were then reversed and the cats were subjected to various levels of oxygen deprivation after which they were tested for retention and reversal performance. A normal control group ( N = 9) were trained identically to the experimental group but were not subjected to hypoxia. 10 naive cats constituted the post-hypoxia new-learning group. It was found that 70 min. of oxygen deprivation had a significant effect on retention and reversal performance; one exposure had no observable effect on either function. No differential effects were found on retention or new learning as measured by either retention new-learning or reversal-reversal comparisons.