EFFECTS OF ROSTRAL MIDBRAIN LESIONS ON CONDITIONING OF HEART- AND RESPIRATORY-RATE RESPONSES IN PIGEONS

Studied conditioning of heart and respiratory rates, established by pairing light with footshock, in 40 white Carneaux pigeons following lesions of rostral midbrain. The Ss with lesions of the prerubral field or lateral mesencephalic reticular formation showed conditioned-rate increases similar to those of controls. In contrast, lesions of ventromedial tegmentum at the level of red nucleus produced striking deficits in both heart- and respiratory-rate responses. Results are consistent with mammalian studies involving mesencephalic lesions, and it is suggested that damage to the subrubral region, perhaps ventral area of Tsai, is responsible for the deficits obtained. (17 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1969 American Psychological Association.