INCREASED SPONTANEOUS ACTIVITY PRODUCED BY FRONTAL LOBE LESIONS IN CATS

Abstract

Quantitative studies showed that frontal pole extirpation increased the spontaneous activity in cats, even more than in monkeys or rats. Some of the cats reached peaks of activity almost 100 times above their preoperative levels; and furthermore, some of the animals actually died either directly or indirectly from over-exhaustion resulting from the constant activity. Removal of one frontal pole in 10 cats increased the avg. daily activity from a preoperative level of 27 revolutions to a level of 61 revolutions; subsequent removal of the other pole increased the activity to an average level of 399 revolutions. Some animals became very hyperactive, reaching their highest levels within 48 hrs. after the removal of the 2d frontal pole; in others the activity was increased more slowly, not reaching the highest levels for several mos. Removal of one pole had very little effect on behavior; subsequent removal of the other pole made the animal ravenous for food, and very excitable and distractible.