THE EFFECT OF ELECTROCONVULSIONS, INSULIN COMAS AND CERTAIN CHEMICAL AGENTS ON FIXATIONS IN THE RAT

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Abstract
Albino rats were run in a T-maze with random reward and punishment (no-solution problem) until they became fixated in a left or right direction. ECT and insulin comas were administered to different groups to see if the fixations were altered. ECT decisively reduced the fixations, but insulin comas had no effect. The effects of chlorpromazine, reserpine, d-lysergic acid-25, and ethyl alcohol were studied on an exploratory basis. Chlorpromazine caused a temporary change; the others had no effect. More extensive experimentation on the relative ability of these agents to facilitate adaptive responses is needed.