The course of aversive conditioning related to the excretion of catecholamines, DOPA and their oxidoreduction states.

Excretion of catecholamines, DOPA and their oxidoreduction states were studied during aversive conditioning in a 10-sitting experiment in man. Urinary samples in 3 intervals of 8 h. before respective sitting and 20, 80 and 200 minutes after the sitting. The initial unspecific phase of conditioning corresponds to an increase and decrease of catecholamine elimination characterized by a prevailing of adrenaline and noradrenaline (interpreted as the same change in level of unconditioned excitability). In the specific phase of conditioning more important participation of dopamine and probably DOPA and their metabolites were observed. The anticipatory conditioned reflex itself (manifested in urinary samples before resp. sittings) is characterized by surplus of adrenaline and noradrenaline. The results support our conception of two phases in conditioning (and generally learning) process.