The control exerted by the substantia nigra on the quiet biting attack elicited by hypothalamic stimulation in the cat.

The effects of substantia nigra (SN) (pars compacta) stimulation on the quiet biting attack evoked by hypothalamic activation in the cat were studied. The measure of the aggressive behavior was the latency of the biting which did not greatly change from one animal to another when hypothalamic stimulation was performed with the same parameters. Concurrent activation of the SN determined an inhibitory effect on the studied behavior in the form of an increase in the biting latency or loss of the attack pattern. The inhibitory role of the SN on predatory attack behavior is discussed.