Effect of l-dopa or bromocriptine on feeding and motor behavior of rats with lesions in the globus pallidus.

Rats were lesioned bilaterally in the globus pallidus (GP) with anodal current or 6-OHDA, and were observed in various motor tests 10 min daily for 3 weeks. Body weight, home cage water and food intakes were recorded daily under two different food accessibility conditions. The lesions produced adipsia, aphagia, loss of body weight and motor impairments which could not be reversed by either l-dopa or bromocriptine. Animals could be made to recover, however, by making food easily accessible and palatable. The results do not support a "metabolic" role for the GP but support the idea that aphagia, adipsia and mortality is due to motoric impairments produced by the lesion.