Inhibitory effects of acetylcholine on aggressive-defense reaction induced by electrical stimulation of the hypothalamus in cats.
The effects of ventral amygdalofugal pathways (VAF) or stria terminalis (ST) on the hypothalamic aggressive-defense (rage) reaction were examined in fifteen cats. After bilateral electrolytic lesions of the VAF or ST, 0.5 pmol of acetylcholine (ACh) was injected into the VMH and electrical stimulation was applied. The changes in the threshold for range reaction were compared in the non-lesioned, VAF-lesioned and ST-lesioned group. Both VAF-lesioned and non-lesioned cats showed a similar degree of significant elevation in the threshold for rage at 5 min after injection, while ST-lesioned group had no significant elevation. These results suggest that the ST is concerned with the elevation of threshold for rage due to ACh injection.
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000679:Amygdala / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004598:Electrosurgery; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
D000109:Acetylcholine