Forebrain structures regulating flight behavior in the cat.
The present study was conducted to determine the role of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and preoptic region in the regulation of hypothalamically elicited flight behavior in the cat. The general paradigm involved concurrent electrical stimulation of sites in the hypothalamus from which flight responses were elicited and of the BNST or preoptic region from which modulation of flight behavior was attempted. Electrical stimulation of the dorsal and ventral preoptic region modulated flight behavior in opposing ways. Suppression of flight behavior resulted from stimulation of the BNST and ventral aspect of the preoptic region, while facilitation of the behavioral response followed stimulation of the dorsal aspect of the preoptic region.
D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004027:Diencephalon / Q000502:physiology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004924:Escape Reaction / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008032:Limbic System / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology