[Genesis of amnesia caused by electroconvulsive shock].

The effect of a series of repeated electric shocks (ES) on retention of the conditioned reflexes and the content of free amino acids (AA) was investigated in the rat brain. Following repeated electric shocks, the first of which was applied 24 hours after learning, the rats developed amnesia. The content of brain excitatory AA did not change, whereas that of inhibitory AA, phenylalanine and tyrosine sharply decreased. The content of AA in the blood plasma increased. It is suggested that amnesia was caused by a change in the balance between excitatory and inhibitory AA in favour of the former ones. The changes in the functional state of the hematoencephalic barrier may play a certain part in the origin of the shifts mentioned.