Medial and lateral amygdalectomy differentially influences consummatory negative contrast

Rats shifted from a 32% to 4% sucrose solution consume substantially less 4% sucrose than unshifted animals that experience only the 4% solution. This negative contrast effect was found to be attenuated by lesions of the lateral aspects of the amygdala (basolateral, lateral, and basomedial nuclei) and eliminated by lesions of the medial aspects of the amygdala (corticomedial and central nuclei). The results are discussed in terms of the possible role the amygdala may play in some of the proposed determining factors mediating consummatory negative contrast (e.g., emotionality, neophobia, memory).