RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN AN ANIMAL MODAL OF VISUAL-EVOKED POTENTIAL AUGMENTING REDUCING AND SENSATION SEEKING BEHAVIOR/

The early research on an animal (cat) model and biological marker (vis ual evoked potential augmenting and reducing) of sensation seeking beh avior is briefly described. Recent findings with selectively bred line s of rats show that (1) the relationship between sensation seeking beh avior and augmenting vs, reducing is also present in the rat: (2) augm enting and reducing is a cortical, not a subcortical, phenomenon, and (3) augmenting/reducing and related sensation seeking behaviors are he ritable traits. This paper also discusses evidence for the relative co ntributions of genetic and environmental factors in determining the se nsation seeking trait.