Electrical activity of the lateral hypothalamus related to food-procuring movements of rats

On freely moving albino rats we demonstrated that, when fast food-procuring movements are performed, the mass electrical activity of the lateral hypothalamus (LH) is suppressed 1.6–2.0 sec before the movement beginning recorded with a photoelectrical device. Videorecording of the movements and recording of the spike activity of LH units showed that the latter are activated 1.0–0.1 sec before the movement initiation. The LH is considered a motivation-related structure, which serves as a source providing an increase in the excitability of the structures involved in the control of food-procuring movements and, further on, supporting this increased excitability. The LH is also a component of the mechanisms providing formation of the motor program. The role of the LH in the ensemble of motor centers, which organize and control voluntary movements, is discussed.