The effect on learning of repeated exposures to lowered oxygen tension of the inspired air.

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Abstract
Apparatus was constructed in which animals (rats) could be run through a double 5-unit (10 units per trial) discrimination problem under controlled conditions of O2 tension. Motivation was provided by forcing the animals to wade through the apparatus, the water being kept at about 6[degree] C. In 3 successive expts. the animals were trained to a black-white discrimination (expt. 1); horizontal vs. inverted triangles (expt. 2); and upright vs. inverted triangles (expt. 3). In expt. 1, training was carried out for 20 days under 21% O2, after which O2 tension was reduced to 12-15% until termination of the expt. The time-curve (time to traverse the 10 units) for the total group gradually rose when O2 tension was lowered, but the error curve seemed unchanged in trend. In expt. 2, the animals were trained 7 days under 21% O2, 5 days under 15%, 2 days under 12%, and 2 days under 9.5%. From the 8th day onward the time-curve rises, although the error curve appears to remain unchanged in trend. In expt. 3, the animals were trained in alternate periods of 9 days each under 7.5-9.5%, 21%, 7.5-9.5%, and 21% O2. Here again the time curve followed the conditions of O2 tension, and while statistical treatment reveals that learning does occur, the slope of the error curve is very slight. In this latter curve there are slight apparent drops near the middle of the first 21% period and near the end of the 2d such period. Decreasing O2 tension evidently impairs learning.

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