RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Enhanced Food-Related Motivation after Bilateral Lesions of the Subthalamic Nucleus
JF The Journal of Neuroscience
JO J. Neurosci.
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP 562
OP 568
DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.22-02-00562.2002
VO 22
IS 2
A1 Christelle Baunez
A1 Marianne Amalric
A1 Trevor W. Robbins
YR 2002
UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/22/2/562.abstract
AB Although inactivation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) has beneficial effects on motor symptoms of parkinsonism, little is known of possible actions on nonmotor symptoms of cognition or mood. Here, we used several forms of converging evidence to show that STN lesions can enhance behavioral motivation. Thus, bilateral fiber-sparing lesions of the STN in rats reduced the time required to eat a standard number of food reward pellets, without affecting food intake, and altered performance on a number of behavioral measures consistent with enhanced motivation for food. Thus, STN-lesioned rats showed greater levels of locomotor activity conditioned to food presentation, enhanced control over responding by food-related conditioned reinforcers, and a higher breaking point associated with elevated rate of lever press under a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement. These results reveal a new functional role schedule for STN, possibly because of its involvement in ventral, as well as dorsal, striatal circuitry and are relevant to the therapeutic effects of STN stimulation in Parkinson's disease.