Effects of septal lesions on food and water intake and operant responding for food

Abstract

Rats lesioned in the septal area showed significant increases in bar pressing for food on both continuous and FI schedules of reinforcement. Although the septal-lesioned rats showed significant increases in water consumption, their food intake was not significantly different from sham-operated animals, except during the first 5 postoperative days and during the initial 3 days of post-operative deprivation. The data were interpreted as indicating that septal-lesioned rats are hypersensitive to unconditioned and drive stimuli and that this is expressed in their operant and conditioned performances.