Piracetam facilitates retrieval but does not impair extinction of bar-pressing in rats.

Rats were trained on a continuously reinforced bar-press response for water reward. Seven days later they were retested for retention, with or without pretest injection of the nootropic drug, piracetam. Drug-treated animals had significantly shorter response latencies than saline-treated animals. The results are interpreted as a facilitation of retrieval processes after forgetting. The experiment was extended under extinction conditions and it was found that after three sessions there was a tendency to facilitate extinction when response latency is used as the extinction index. The clinical interest of a drug which facilitates the retrieval aspect of the memory process without impairing extinction is discussed.