Amm. Vanerp et al., NEURONAL SUBSTRATE OF ELECTRICALLY-INDUCED GROOMING IN THE PVH OF THERAT - INVOLVEMENT OF OXYTOCINERGIC SYSTEMS, Physiology & behavior, 57(5), 1995, pp. 881-885
Electrical stimulation of the paraventricular (PVH) and adjacent hypot
halamic area evokes self-grooming behaviour. Current intensity thresho
lds for grooming can be obtained depending on the exact localization o
f the electrode site. Sites localized at greater distance of the cente
r of the grooming area evoke grooming at greater latencies and higher
current intensity, or no grooming at all. Results are compared with in
jections of neuroactive substances into the PVH from previous studies,
which showed a similar site specificity for grooming. We found simila
rity in the distribution of electrode sites in the paraventricular and
anterior hypothalamic areas at which grooming is induced, and hypotha
lamic immunoreactive oxytocinergic neurons and fibres. In addition, we
reported earlier that oxytocin infusions into the PVH in resting anim
als induce grooming, in contrast to other grooming-related peptides, s
uch as alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. We hypothesize that elect
rical stimulation may induce grooming by activation of oxytocinergic s
ystems originating from the PVH.