Characteristics of aggressive behavior induced by nucleus accumbens septi lesions in rats.

The effect of selective caudal and/or rostral nucleus accumbens septi lesions on emotional behavior were studied in male Wistar King A rats. The caudal, rostral, and both areas of the accumbens nuclei were lesioned each in separate animal groups. The rats of all groups exhibited hyperirritability and muricide after accumbens lesions. Muricide was highest in incidence in the group of both caudal and rostral accumbens lesions and remained unchanged throughout the experimental period of 15 days. Moreover, accumbens-lesioned rats also showed mouse-eating behavior. These results suggest that the accumbens plays an important role in modulating aggression, and the characteristics of aggressive behavior induced by accumbens lesions resemble that of raphe-lesioned rats.