Enhanced response acceleration or suppression produced by response-independent food presentations in rats with septal...

In two separate experiments, the response rates of rats with septal lesions were compared with those of control rats when response-independent food was presented while subjects were responding on a differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate schedule of reinforcement (Experiment 1) or according to a conjunctive differential-reinforcement-of-high-rate, fixed-ratio schedule (Experiment 2). Free-food deliveries resulted in acceleration of responding of subjects working on the low-rate schedule and in suppression of responding of those animals working on the high-rate schedule. Both of these effects were localized to a brief time period immediately following the free-food deliveries, and baseline rates of responding were not altered. The acceleration and suppression of responding that occurred on the respective schedules were greatly enhanced in rats with septal lesions. This finding supports the suggestion that these animals are hyperreactive to the reinforcing and/or eliciting properties of discrete stimulus events.