Emotional hypothermia induced by classical aversive conditioning in the rabbit.

The CS induces a stereotyped change in all the autonomic variables studied: Ts decreases, RF and Thy increase. Within an average 300 sec from the CS a new steady state is reached, characterized by a lower Thy and a higher RF compared to the respective control values before the CS. Throughout the session the CS sequence determine a significant decrease in Thy which is analogous in our opinion with the "emotional hypothermia" induced in rabbits and rats by restraint.