Effects of midbrain reticular formation, hippocampal, and lateral hypothalamic stimulation upon recovery from neophobia and taste aversion learning

In a neophobia paradigm midbrain reticular formation (MRF) electrical stimulation applied after consumption of a novel flavor produced a time-dependent disruption in recovery from neophobia (learned safety), while hippocampal and lateral hypothalamic stimulation had no disruptive effects. In a learned aversion paradigm neither MRF nor hippocampal or lateral hypothalamic stimulation applied after the illness experience produced a disruptive effect. In conjunction with previously reported effects of amygdala stimulation [12] the data support the existence of separate information processing systems mediating learned aversion and learned safety.