Evoking conditioned fear by electrical stimulation of subcortical structures in the monkey brain.

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Electrodes were implanted in various subcortical areas of monkeys trained to avoid shock to the feet. Stimulation of the medial nucleus of the amygdala, trigeminal nerve at the Gasserian ganglion, rostral part of the pons, medial part of the mesencephelon, n. ventralis postero-medialis of the thalamus and external medullary lamina of the pallidum all elicited a conditioned fear response. Stimulation of sensorimotor cortex or pathways or of a number of thalamic and hippocampal structures were ineffective. "The results suggest that fear may be induced by electrical stimulation of some structures, not others. The structures from which fear was elicited appear to be related to the limbic system.".