The effect of 6-OHDA lesions of the lateral septum on schedule-induced polydipsia

In this study the relationship between 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of dopaminergic innervation of the lateral septum and schedule-induced polydipsia was examined. Animals with lesions were found to have a significant increase in water intake during a test involving an intermittent schedule of food delivery. Additional experiments with these animals showed that lesions had no effect on: (i) spontaneous drinking, the amount of drinking after 24 h food or water deprivation, water intake following a hypertonic saline challenge; (ii) eating behavior with or without food deprivation; and (iii) spontaneous locomotor activity. This increase in adjunctive behavior is discussed in the light of an enhanced frustrative effect induced by the septal lesions.