OPEN-FIELD LUMINANCE AND SEPTAL HYPER-EMOTIONALITY

Open-field activity of septal lesioned and operated control rats was measured under three levels of illumination. While control animals showed a steady decline in activity across days in all light conditions, septal lesioned rats initially had, and maintained, higher levels of activity for five days in both the bright and dim conditions. Only in red light was there any evidence of the control animals being more active than the lesioned subjects. This relative suppression of lesioned animals was very transient. These results are discussed in terms of the relative activating effects of light on septal and control animals. Data is also presented which indicates that heat has a suppressing effect on both control and lesioned animals. © 1969.