Effect of lesions in the central nervous system on lateral hypothalamic self-stimulation in the rat.

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Abstract
Response output for lateral hypothalamic self-stimulation was not significantly reduced following partial or complete transection of either the basal telencephalic, the tegmental, or both these projections of the medial forebrain bundle (MFB). Ablation of the tissue surrounding the electrode tip, however, abolished self-stimulation. Septal-lesioned Ss showed a 33% increase (p < .05) in response output. Other lesions produced significant changes in either preferred train duration, the amount of time the lever was depressed per session, or both these measures. These results suggest that lateral hypothalamic self-stimulation does not depend on the integrity of the MFB and that the pathways mediating rewarding electrostimulation of the brain are diffusely organized. (20 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)