The role of habenular nuclei in the selection of behavioral strategies

Abstract

Bilateral lesions of the habenular nuclei in male Wistar rats were found to affect the selection of motor activities under stress. Specifically, in the absence of an available escape strategy during a forced swimming test, animals with habenular lesions demonstrated fewer categories of intrinsically generated motor activities and fewer changes of strategy. In addition, when given the opportunity to escape, such animals seemed unable to utilize the extrinsic cue provided. These changes in behavior did not seem to be related to any gross alteration of motor and postural capacities or to a general decrease in motor activity and exploratory tendencies. It is suggested that the habenula is critically involved in the relay and integration of information from limbic structures and the striatum and that a component of the changed behavior may be a result of disruption in dopaminergic function. © 1982, Psychonomic Society, Inc.. All rights reserved.