[Adrenal cortical function in elaborating a passive avoidance conditioned reflex in rats adapted to experimental conditions].

Fluorometry was used to determine the content of 11-hydroxycorticosteroids (11-HCS) in the blood plasma of 2-month-old male rats in the course of passive avoidance learning by means of single electrocutaneous irritation (ECI) of the limbs. Pre-exposure of the animals for 7 days to experimental environment (over 3 min daily) led to a distinct reduction of the basal content of 11-HCS which returned to the initial level after adaptation discontinuance. One day after ECI the content of 11-HCS in rats which learned passive avoidance, was appreciably lower as compared to that in the animals which failed to learn the behavioral task. Five days after ECI the differences in the content of the corticosteroids in the animals of the two groups were little pronounced. It appears that while using passive avoidance as a long-term memory model, account should be taken of both the behavioral and emotional responses.