HYPOTHALAMIC NEURONS AND DEFENSIVE REFLEX ES

Identified groups of neurons in positive (the lateral hypothalamic are a, the lateral preoptic area) and negative (the ventromedial hypothala mus) emotional regions were examined under the different levels of foo d motivation and emotionally positive and negative intracranial stimul ation. The responses of the neurons in classical and operant condition ing were different. This difference was manifested in tonic (during lo cation of the animal into the chamber) and phasic alterations of neuro nal activity and at certain stages of conditioned reflex performance. During classical conditioning were revealed the reciprocal relations i n unit activity of the positive and negative emotional structures. Dur ing the operant reflex more complicated pattern of reactions was obser ved being connected with realization of a necessity of removing from t he negative influences. During defensive reflex in the cases of classi cal conditioning and avoidance reaction reinforcement was related with engaging the negative emotional mechanisms while in the course of esc ape reaction the positive emotional mechanism being engaged.