Persistence of approach response after decerebration in newly hatched quail chicks

The role of telencephalon in controlling the unconditional approach response was studied in newly hatched Japanese quail chicks by lesions. Approach to flickering light and a moving object were not diminished by ablation of various telencephalic areas, ranging from caudal forebrain lesions to complete bilateral hemispherectomy. Open field activity and tonic immobility were likewise unaffected. Results indicated that the neural mediation of unconditional sensory-motor components of imprinting is anatomically separated from the telencephalon, where recognition memory is thought to be formed.