The effect of electroshock convulsions on the maze habit in the white rat.

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Abstract
The purpose was to determine the effect of electric shocks on the retention and relearning of a maze habit by white rats. 28 rats learned a difficult maze. 12 of these animals, the Experimental Shock Group, then received one cerebral electroshock daily for 30 days. The shock consisted of 85 volts A.C., lasting 0.22 sec. 8 rats, the Shock Control Group, received a similar series of shocks through the back legs. The remaining 8 rats, the Retention Control Group, were simply left in their cages during this period. Immediately after the end of the 30-day period all rata were retrained on the maze until they had remastered the habit. The Experimental Shock Group was significantly inferior to the other 2 groups; (a) in terms of trials, errors, and time during relearning; (b) in terms of percentages saved in trials, errors, and time in relearning over learning; and (c) in terms of errors and time on the first retention trial. The Shock Control Group was slightly, but not significantly, inferior to the Retention Control Group. These results suggest that shocks through the head, such as are given in electroshock treatment of mental patients, cause an impairment of the central nervous system that shows up as either a loss of retention or of relearning ability (or of both) for this habit. Most of the loss seems to be in retention. The loss of this habit and probably also the curing of mental patients are due not to the punishment or fear of electroshock but to a direct effect on cerebral tissue.

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