Effects of emotional factors on physical performance of dogs on the treadmill.

In dogs exercising on a treadmill, increase of physical performance was particularly pronounced when the animals were punished by an electric shock for slowing the speed of running and also upon hypothalamic stimulation producing flight response. This was accompanied by alterations of autonomic and metabolic functions. Food and stimulation of hypothalamic self-stimulation areas used as a reward for better performance was also effective, but only at the beginning of the work. On the other hand, hypothalamic and midbrain stimulation which produced a passive fear response decreased the intensity of work. Autonomic and metabolic functions were strongly affected. It appears that both the animal's motor activity and vegetative processes may be influenced by motivational factors in the course of physical performance.