After learning to swim a water maze during magnesium pemoline treatment, albino rats recovered from drug withdrawal before beginning a series of retention, transfer and relearning tests. Time and error scores showed clearly that the drug enhanced original learning, perhaps by reducing the delay of escape. In a further experiment, escape time was controlled during original learning in groups receiving magnesium pemoline, amphetamine or pentylenetetrazol, and no drug enhancement of learning appeared in retention or transfer tests. However, active pentylenetetrazol reduced errors during relearning, contrary to the effect of magnesium pemoline.
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