| Abstract: | Chronic experiments on rabbits with electrodes implanted into hypothalamic and amygdalar structures showed that weak electrical stimulation of the food center of the lateral hypothalamus, giving a food response to preliminary testing, induces marked facilitation of vestibular (especially rotatory) nystagmus, whereas stimulation of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus inhibits it. The effect of amygdalar stimulation was manifested more often as facilitation, but sometimes as inhibition of the nystagmus. The results are evidence of the modulating influence of the hypothalamic and amygdalar motivation centers on the vestibular system. |
