title: Spontaneous locomotor activity and food and water intake in rats with medial amygdala lesions.
abstract: Locomotor activity was studied with the method of electromagnetic activity meters, before and after operation in rats bilaterally lesioned in medial amygdala, and in a sham-operated control. Two activity tests were performed daily. In the first test spontaneous activity was recorded for a 30 min period without access to food or water. The second test measured 12 h of nocturnal activity with full access to food and water. Bilateral destruction of the medial amygdala resulted in an increase of locomotor activity in the 30 min test and a decrease in locomotor activity in the 12 h test. Postoperative decrease in food and water intake and body weight were only transient. These results point to a participation of the medial amygdala in the complex mechanism of locomotor activity and alimentary motivation.
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D004326:Drinking; D004435:Eating; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology