BEHAVIOR OF HIPPOCAMPAL LESIONED RATS IN HOME CAGE AND NOVEL SITUATIONS

A time-sampling observation procedure was used to record behavior of hippocampal damaged and control rats in home cage and novel open field under both ad libitum and food deprivation conditions. In the home cage hippocampal animals slept less than controls under both conditions. There were no differences between groups during the day but hippocampal rats spent significantly more time sniffing and were more active during the night. In the novel open field containing food pellets, hippocampals were more active than controls in the ad libitum condition and habituated at the same rate, whereas, under deprivation hippocampal rats were more active early in the session but later spent more time than controls with the food. These results are interpreted as evidence for a motivational involvement of the hippocampus. © 1968.