Role of Stimulation and Time in the Effects of Spaced Occipital Ablations

Abstract

42 albino rats were trained preoperatively to make an avoidance response to a change in illumination. The occipital lobes were serially ablated. The interval between ablations and the sensory stimulation conditions during the interoperative interval were varied. Following the second operation retention of the original response was measured. Performance was found to be related to both the length of the interoperative interval and the existing stimulus conditions during the interval.