Food versus intracranial self-stimulation reinforcement in food-deprived rats.

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Abstract
Seven rats positively reinforced by electrical stimulation in the lateral hypothalamus (LH) and 8 by stimulation at other loci (OL) learned the locations of stimulation and food in a T maze. With daily food intake restricted to 5 gm., preference for food or stimulation was tested at 2, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, 168, 192, 216, and 240 hr. LH Ss averaged 16/19 choices of stimulation at each session; OL Ss initially preferred stimulation, but averaged 15/19 choices of food at 48 hr. and more thereafter (p < .01). Weight losses averaged 27%. It is suggested that stimulation in the lateral hypothalamus simultaneously activates afferents sequentially activated during normal food intake.

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