The influence of high-density current pulses on the structure and superconducting properties of HTSC ceramicsYBa2Cu3Oxis studied at room temperature. A gradual increase in the pulsed current density causes appreciable structural changes: when a certain threshold value is reached, the melting of large grains occurs and is accompanied by partial breaking of intergranular contacts resulting in degradation of superconductivity. A further increase in the current density leads to the recovery of superconducting properties, which is probably due to the formation of superconducting bridges between grains aligned along the current flow. The superconducting transition temperature remains unchanged in such samples, but subsequent thermal treatment leads to an increase in the superconducting transition temperature. ©1998 American Institute of Physics.