Dorsal noradrenergic bundle lesions fail to disrupt self-stimulation from the region of locus coeruleus.

Intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) from the region of the locus coeruleus (LC) was not attenuated by ipsilateral dorsal noradrenergic bundle (DNB) lesions. Bilateral DNB lesions also failed to affect LC ICSS, whereas the same lesions, in the same animals, resulted in a marked enhancement of lateral hypothalamic (LHA) ICSS responding. Behavioral, neuroanatomical and fluorescent histochemical data confirmed destruction of the DNB, thus suggesting that the dorsal noradrenergic system is not necessary for ICSS from the region of the LC.