Spontaneous activity of animals; a review of the literature since 1929.

Abstract

The literature of the past 20 yrs. concerning general activity in animals is reviewed. The rotator and the diffuse activity cage have been most frequently used to measure activity. General activity has been found to increase during hunger and most conditions of deprivation, under conditions of darkness and low temperature, and during oestrus. In most kinds of endocrine imbalance or deficiency there is usually a decrease in activity. Lesions of the frontal cortex heighten activity. 124 studies are reviewed.