Relations between stimulus-bound eating and intracranial reinforcing strength

Rats with monopolar electrodes implanted in the lateral hypothalamus were trained to self-stimulate, each under 38 different electrical stimulus values. Stimulus-bound drinking and eating (SBB) were elicited by stimulating the rats through the same electrode with the same parameters and the same rate at which they self-administered the stimulation. It was observed that the frequency of SBB depended on the parameters of the electrical stimulus. The Spearman rank order correlation was computed between strength of SBB and the strength of the reinforcing effect elicited by brain stimulation. A factor analysis showed that the reinforcing process elicited by brain stimulation in this area is composed of several factors and that SBB is not loaded in all the factors composing reinforcement.