Self-stimulation in the ventral tegmental area suppresses self-mutilation in rats with forelimb deafferentiation

In rats which received section of 5 dorsal roots corresponding to the brachial plexus, self-mutilation of the forelimb develops during the first 2 months after deafferentation. The extent of self-mutilation was measured for 90 days in a control group of animals and in a group with an electrode implanted in the ventral tegmental area and which were allowed to self-stimulate at freedom. The animals which self-stimulated for 35 days did not develop the self-mutilation even after the self-stimulation was stopped.