The effect of lesions of the dorsomedial thalamic nucleus on alimentary conditioned reflexes and food intake in dogs.

The experiments have been carried out on 6 dogs with type II conditioned alimentary reaction. After achieving the criterion in all animals the dorsomedial thalamic nucleus was destroyed by means of electrocoagulation. After the operation hypophagia developed with a rise in the number of intertrial responses and disinhibition of the alimentary conditioned reaction not exceeding 6 days. The obtained results confirm in part the hypothesis of Brutkowski who regarded this nucleus as belonging to a system controlling feeding behavior.