Behaviorally determined neurophysiological properties of MFB self-stimulation fibers

Dwight C. German, Frank A. Holloway

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

A number of experiments have demonstrated that such neurophysiological properties as latent addition, neural refractoriness and temporal summation can be behaviorally measured in double pulse studies of the self-stimulation system of the rat. Since these phenomena have been investigated exclusively in the posterior lateral hypothalamic medial forebrain bundle (PH-MFB) or in the ventral tegmental area of the midbrain, the present experiment investigated these properties in an anterior area of the MFB. Eight rats were tested with PH-MFB electrodes and nine rats were tested with anterior preoptic electrodes (POA-MFB). The double pulse derived self-stimulation curves revealed: (a) a higher overall rate of responding for PH-MFB self-stimulation than for POA-MFB self-stimulation even though a higher current level was needed for POA-MFB self-stimulation; (b) refractory period differences between POA-MFB and PH-MFB electrodes; (c) evidence for latent addition; and (d) evidence for temporal summation. These results are discussed in terms of self-stimulation mapping studies of the rat diencephalon, the anatomy of the MFB, and previous double pulse self-stimulation studies.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)823-829
Number of pages7
JournalPhysiology and Behavior
Volume9
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 1972

Keywords

  • Latent addition
  • Medial forebrain bundle
  • Neural mechanisms of self-stimulation
  • Refractory period
  • Self-stimulation
  • Temporal summation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
  • Behavioral Neuroscience

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