DORSAL STRIATAL LESIONS IN RATS .1. EFFECTS ON EXPLORATION AND MOTOR COORDINATION

Rats with small dorsal striatal lesions were compared to sham-operated controls in a series of tests measuring their exploratory behavior in a T-maze, a hole-board, and an elevated plus-maze. Motor coordination was evaluated in the inclined grid and in the square bridge tests and grip strength in the wire suspension test. The rats with dorsal stria tal lesions were not impaired in the motor coordination tests, the gri p strength test, nor in spontaneous alternation. By contrast, an incre ase of emergence latencies in the elevated plus-maze and a reduction o f motor activity in the hole-board confined space during the early par t of testing were observed in rats with dorsal striatal lesions. These results are ascribed to a lesion-induced situation-specific increase in inhibition.