Behavioral and Epileptic Determinants of Predatory Attack Behavior in the Cat

Abstract

SUMMARY:This report presents studies which relate limbic epileptic excitability to behavioral measures of defensive suppression of predatory attack in cats. Correlated with heightened defensiveness to environmental stimuli among non-killer cats is a heightened amygdaloid epileptic excitability, as well as a heightened conduction of amygdaloid epileptic activity to thalamic and hypothalamic substrates of predatory response in the amygdala to the complex visual stimuli presented by rat prey. These neurosensory responses correlate well with measures of epileptic excitability. Brain and behavior measures appear related since enhancement of excitability in the amygdala and of projection of epileptic activity by repeated electrical stimulation of predatory attacks. Furthermore, the ventral hippocampus seems capable of antagonizing the behaviorally suppressive effects of heightened amygdaloid excitability perhaps at points of convergence of amygdaloid and hippocampal output.

Effects of bilateral kindling or bilateral sub-threshold stimulation of the amygdala or septum on muricide, ranacide, intraspecific aggression and passive avoidance in the rat

“…Because the/centromedial region of the rat amygdala facilitates --IlHI-t"icide (Karli and Vergnes, 1965;lloxovi-t-z--et al, 196-G-),---we--&.£f>e-e-t-etld~------.findings opposite to those of Adamec (1975). That is, we expected·that non-killers would have higher amygdaloid AD' thresholds than killers.…”

“…Adamec (1975) found that AD threshold 'reduction in the basolateral nucleus inhibited rat killing and increased cats' defensiveness towards threatening stimuli.…”

“…The purpose of this thesis is to extend the findings of Adamec (1975) by investigating the effects of kindling selected limbic sites on aggressive behavior and passive avoidance in the rat. A limited review of the neurological substrates of aggressive behavior is provided below.…”

“…The purpose of this thesis, then, is to extend the findings of Adamec (1975) by examining the effects of kindling or repeated sub-threshold stimulation of the amygdala or septum on interspecific aggression, intraspecific aggression and passive avoidance in the rat.…”

“…It appears that partial kindling of the basolateral amygdala in the cat results in changes in predatory aggression that are secondary to the increases' ln defensive behavior (Adamec, 1975). Adamec found that this procedurB inhibited rat killing and increased the defensiveness of cats towards rats.…”