The effect of nootropics on the retrograde amnesia induced by electroshock was studied on a model of the active conditioned escape reaction (pole jumping). In untreated animals the daily application of electroshock for three days, immediately after the training, led to a significant retardation of the development of a conditioned escape reaction. The administration of nootropics influences the development of the retrograde amnesia to different extents, the treatment regimen (application of the drug only during the training and supplementary pretreatment before the first day of training; respectively) being of importance. The antiamnestic effect of Piracetam (100 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) which is good also without pretreatment, may still be potentiated, especially on the fourth day of treatment, by an additional administration of the drug, beginning four days before the first day of treatment. In contrast to this, meclofenoxate hydrochloride (100 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) and pyritinol (100 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) produce a marked inhibition of the development of the retrograde amnesia only after pretreatment. Without pretreatment these drugs exert a slight or no effect. The marked antiamnestic effect of methylglucaminorotate (225 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) and by an additional pretreatment. As to dihydroergotoxin (1 mg/kg; intraperitoneally), both treatment regimens were ineffective in the model used.