LOCUS COERULEUS IN BEHAVIOR REGULATION - EVIDENCE FOR BEHAVIOR-SPECIFIC VERSUS GENERAL INVOLVEMENT

Brief reviews of current catecholamine research techniques, the comparative anatomy of the nucleus locus coeruleus, and the role of noradrenaline in the brain are followed by an examination of the literature dealing with the effects of direct intervention in the locus coeruleus and its dorsal noradrenergic bundle upon learning and ingestion as representative behaviors. The evidence for a connection between behavior and structure points away from a behavior-specific relationship. Possible reinforcement and arousal functions are considered briefly. Morphological and physiological hints from the literature suggest a supportive or modulatory role for the locus coeruleus. © 1979 Academic Press, Inc.