Transection of fibers crossing the lateral border of the lateral hypothalamus: fragmented spontaneous ingestive patterns and reanalysis of "regulatory deficits" in rats with sagittal knife cuts.

Rats bearing sagittal knife cuts lateral to the LH showed fragmented meal patterns. Both drinking and locomotor activity occurred during the interruptions in dry chow meals. This fragmented pattern resembles that found in rats with LH lesions, yet it is anatomically unlikely these knife cut animals sustain damage to any known salivary pathway. The cut animals were also found to show delayed drinking responses after intracellular or extracellular dehydration, yet they increased their water intake normally when offered a salty chow. They showed impaired glucoprivic feeding. The similarities of these findings to those in LH and other preparations are discussed.