Electrical stimulation of dorsal, but not ventral hippocampus reduces behavioral defense in the elevated plus maze and shock-probe burying test in rats.

Recent evidence indicates that the hippocampus contributes to the control of defensive behaviors in rodents. Here, electrical stimulation (1s, 60 Hz) of the rat dorsal hippocampus inhibited defense in the elevated plus maze (increased open arm exploration) and shock-probe burying test (reduced burying duration), while ventral hippocampal stimulation had no effects. Thus, the dorsal hippocampus may play an important role in modulating a range of defensive strategies.