Wild running elicited by microinjections of bicuculline or morphine into the inferior colliculus of rats: lack of effect of periaqueductal gray lesions.

Bicuculline methiodide, a GABAA receptor antagonist, or a high dose of morphine was injected at the same site within the inferior colliculus (IC) of rats. Both drugs elicited the same behavioral activity (wild running). However, the time course and magnitude of the effects of the two drugs differed. Since the behavioral activation elicited was reminiscent of what was found with microinjections of bicuculline methiodide or morphine into the periaqueductal gray (PAG), we lesioned the PAG in another group of rats. It was found that extensive lesions of the PAG including those extending to the medial part of the superior colliculus did not significantly reduce the wild running.