Abstract
Albino rats were trained on a visual discrimination task for which leverpressing in the presence of a cuelight was continuously reinforced with food. Upon attainment of criterion, the rats received bilateral electrolytic lesions in either the anterior or the posterior amygdala, or were subjected to a corresponding control operation. For both placement sites, the discriminative behavior of the lesioned animals, as well as their activity in an open field, was comparable to that of the corresponding controls. The results are discussed in terms of possible excitatory and inhibitory amygdaloid influences on appetitively motivated instrumental behavior and are interpreted in relation to previous research. It is proposed that the middle portion of the amygdala as a whole may exert an excitatory influence on appetitive arousal.
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This study was partially supported by funds received from the Office of Research and Advanced Studies at Indiana University.
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Stoller, W.L., Stoller, R.A.V. Food-reinforced visual discrimination in rats with anterior or posterior amygdaloid lesions. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 26, 135–138 (1988). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03334885
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03334885