Interacting behavioral effects of septal and amygdaloid lesions in the rat.

Abstract

Neurobehavioral relationships between the septal area and the amygdaloid complex were studied by comparing the effects of sequentially prepared septal-amygdaloid lesions with those of separate septal lesions, amygdaloid lesions, or control treatment on reactivity to stimulation, activity in the "open field," and bar-pressing performance on a 1-min. fixed-interval (FI) schedule of reward. Amygdaloid lesions block the hyperreactivity to stimulation and reverse the depression in open-field activity, i.e., freezing behavior, produced by septal lesions, but do no counteract septal impairment in response inhibition expressed in FI performace. The amygdala does not play any major reciprocal role with respect to septal inhibition of operant activity.