A number of other studies more or less indirectly implicate RNA in the learning processes. For instance, in retinal cells of rabbits raised in darkness, there was virtually no ribonucleoprotein as compared with normal amounts in the cells of animals raised in light ([ref.124]). Further, maintenance of normal electrical activity of isolated perfused cat brains is highly dependent upon the presence of the ribonucleic acid precursors, uridine and cytidine, in the perfusate ([ref.125]), and severe derangements occur if any of a variety of pyrimidine antagonists are added ([ref.126]). Brief electrical stimulation of cat cortical tissue causes an increase in nucleic acid cytidine and adenine, thus indicating a synthesis of altered polynucleotides. Finally, injections of RNA in animals have shown interesting effects. When given at a dose of 116 mg/kg daily for 1 month, rats showed an enhanced response and greater resistance to extinction in a shock-motivated behavioral response. It has been shown by another group that injections of RNA enhance the ability of young animals to learn various tasks. Planaria have been used in a variety of studies which seem to bear on the problem of memory. Quite recent evidence by Bennett, Calvin, and their associates has cast somewhat of a pall over the studies; nevertheless, the work may have some validity. Interest in the use of flatworms, particularly planaria, for study of memory began with a demonstration by McConnell that these simple animals could undergo conditioning ([ref.127]). Subsequently, it was found that some conditioning was retained when the animal was transected and allowed to regenerate. The retention of training was found in both new animals, although the very simple brain, really only two ganglia, was in the head section ([ref.128]). Apparently, some diffusely distributed component of the animal was responsible for retention of learning. Evidence has accumulated to indicate that this material is RNA. Among this evidence is the following: (1) The two halves of a trained planaria were allowed to regenerate in a solution containing RNA-destroying enzymes. Whereas the head ends retained some training, no retention was observed in the animals derived from the tail end ([ref.129]). (2) When pieces of trained planaria were fed to untrained animals, the untrained cannibal required a shorter time to become trained to a criterion. It would appear that the digestive system of planaria is so simple that the material responsible for the transfer of the information was not broken down. (3) When RNA, obtained from trained planaria, is injected into the digestive tract of untrained animals, there is a transfer of information. NEUROPHYSIOLOGY² ² Excerpt from [ref.130].