Behaviour Deficits Following Diencephalic Lesions

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Abstract
Localized lesions were made in anatomical components of the diencephalon of animals in order to observe behavioral and electroencephalographic changes following such lesions in the hope of clarifying the neural mechanisms related to sleep and unresponsive states. 23 cats and 2 monkeys were used. The animals were placed in the Horsley -Clarke stereotaxic instrument and preoperative electroencephalograms recorded. After midline trephination, needles were lowered into the area to be studied and placement controlled by electroencephalographic response to thalamic stimulation, e.g., stimulation of the dorsomedial nucleus produces a primary response in the gyrus proreus of the cat. Electrolytic lesions were then made by passing direct current through bipolar needles. Postoperative behavior and electroencephalograms were recorded. Akinetic and apathetic states were obtained with lesions in the anteromedial thalamus and upper end of the mammillo-thalamic tract associated with eeg.abnormalities similar to sleep records. Sensory stimulation never produced the same degree of cortical excitation as in the normal animal. Akinetic and cataleptic states were produced in cats with lesions in the midportion of the mammillo-thalamic tract, and catalepsy and unresponsive- ness were obtained by lesions of the mammillary bodies and inferior portion of the mammillo-thalamic tract. Eeg. changes were not marked in this group.

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