ISSN : 1226-9654
Classical conditioning of the nictitating membrane response of rabbits has been shown to be critically upon the cerebllum. The present study was conducted to answer the question of whether the cerebellum is also critically involved in the acquisition and retention of aversive instrumental conditioning of the rat. In experiment 1, all animals were trained to press a lever in order to avoid or escape electric shock. When animals press the lever during the tone signal or during the shock following the tone, the tone and shock is discontinued. After training, subjects of experimental group were lesioned bilaterally at the cerebellar interpositus and dentate nuclei. Six animals that were lesioned bilaterally at the interpositus and dentate nuclei and six animals lesioned at the surrounding areas displayed good retention as well as seven control animals that were sham - operated. In experiment 2, forteen animals of experimental group were lesioned bilaterally at the interpositus and dentate nuclei bilaterally and seven control ones in the acqusition of the task. The results indicate that the cerebellum is not a critical neural substrate in the aversive instrumental conditioning of the rat.