Sensorimotor functions of the striatopallidal system and lateral hypothalamus and consummatory behavior in rats.

Conducted 5 experiments with male albino Holtzman rats (N = 98) to evaluate the roles of the globus pallidus, entopeduncular nucleus, and lateral hypothalamus in the control of limb movement and consummatory behavior. The entopeduncular nucleus, but not the lateral hypothalamus, was shown to be part of a lateralized system controlling forelimb use. In contrast, the 3 structures displayed shared functions in the control of consummatory behavior. Whether these shared functions pertained to either sensorimotor, dispositional, or reward mechanisms was not determined, although experiments were designed to limit the possibilities. Additional experimentation demonstrated marked gustatory disturbances after pallidal lesions that seemed to reflect destruction of thalamocortical fibers of passage through the pallidum. (43 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)