[The effect of hypothalamic stimulation on food choice with rats maintained on different water-salt rations]

Electrical stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus in rats induces an increase of water intake and decrease of thresholds of eaten salty food. These effects are displayed in control animals and under salt diet and water deprivation. The hypothalamus stimulation relaxes the effects of "psychic distillation" of food which occur during spatial coincidence of conditioned signal of insipid food with salty reinforcement. Besides, the trans-switching of signal significance of conditioned stimuli connected with insipid and salty reinforcements is accelerated. The electrostimulation of the hypothalamus accelerates the elaboration of conditioned aversion of salty food inhibition of conditioned runnings toward corresponding food-box, and intensifies the existent state of thirst transforming it in the dominant motivation.