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Effects of hippocampal damage on reward threshold and response rate during self-stimulation of the ventral tegmental area in the rat

Kelley, Stephen P., Mittleman, Guy (1999) Effects of hippocampal damage on reward threshold and response rate during self-stimulation of the ventral tegmental area in the rat. Behavioural brain research, 99 (2). pp. 133-141. ISSN 0166-4328. (doi:10.1016/S0166-4328(98)00097-7) (KAR id:46574)

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to explore the role of the hippocampus in motivated behavior. Rats with bilateral excitotoxic lesions of the hippocampus and controls were trained to lever press for electrical stimulation of the ventral tegmental area. Rate intensity functions were generated from an ascending and descending series of current intensities. Lesion-induced changes in sensitivity to reward were distinguished from enhancements in motor output by calculating reward thresholds and maximal response rates from the rate-intensity functions. Rats with hippocampal damage showed lower reward thresholds and higher maximal response rates than controls. These results provide further evidence of hippocampal modulation of the nucleus accumbens, suggesting that lesions of this structure enhance sensitivity to reward and increase motor output.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/S0166-4328(98)00097-7
Uncontrolled keywords: Hippocampus; Nucleus accumbens; Intra-cranial self-stimulation; Dopamine; Reward; Motivation
Subjects: R Medicine > RM Therapeutics. Pharmacology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Medway School of Pharmacy
Depositing User: Stephen Kelley
Date Deposited: 07 Jan 2015 12:32 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:18 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/46574 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Kelley, Stephen P..

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