Drinking and eating elicited by cortical spreading depression

Single waves of unilateral and bilateral cortical spreading depression were administered to rats by electrophoretic injection of potassium ions into the occipital cortices. Aggressive and stereotyped eating, drinking, and exploratory behavior were elicited by unilateral and bilateral spreading depression. Onset of the elicited behaviors varied among rats from 4 to 8 minutes after injection of the ions. Direct activation of, or rebound from, inhibition of subcortical motivational mechanisms may be responsible for the effects.