Effects of rewarding electrical stimulation of lateral hypothalamus on classical conditioning of the nictitating membrane response.
1. Adult New Zealand albino rabbits were prepared with chronic hypothalamic stimulating electrodes and hippocampal recording electrodes. 2. Rabbits were restrained and classically conditioned by a tone CS and an airpuff US either followed or preceded by a hypothalamic stimulation (HS). Control rabbits were conditioned without the HS. 3. It was found that HS following the CS facilitated both behavioral and hippocampal responses, while HS preceding the CS inhibited them. 4. Enhanced hippocampal learning-related unit firing to the CS may represent an early indication of conditioning before the behavioral activity produces any observable change.
Arikoski
J
J
Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
Korhonen
T
T
Penttonen
M
M
Ruusuvirta
T
T
Wikgren
J
J
D000818:Animals; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D011817:Rabbits; D012201:Reward