Effects of food and water deprivation on self-stimulation of the medial and sulcal prefrontal cortex and caudate putamen in the rat.

KOOLHAAS, J. M., F. MORA AND A. G. PHILLIPS.Effects o f food and water deprivation on self.stimulation o f the medial and sulcal prefrontal cortex and caudate putamen in the rat. PHYSIOL. BEHAV. 18(2) 329-331, 1977. Self-stimulation rates from electrodes, implanted in the terminal areas of the mesocortical and nigrostriatal dopaminergic systems, were measured during food or water deprivation. A significant increase of sulcal prefrontal cortex self-stimulation was observed after 24 and 48 hr of food deprivation. Serf-stimulation of the medial prefrontal cortex and the neostriatum was unaffected. Water deprivation had no effect on any of the structures tested. This suggests that similar effects found in the hypothalamus by other authors may be due to activation of the mesocortical system.