Suppression of mouse killing by lateral hypothalamic infusion of atropine sulfate in the rat: a general behavioral suppression.

Male hooded rats which had been induced to kill mice by food deprivation had intracranial cannulas implanted into the lateral hypothalamus. Injections of 3 microliter to each side of the brain blocked mouse killing in 12 out of 15 animals when the injected substance was the general blocking agent lidocaine. Atropine sulfate produced a significant suppression of mouse killing at a dose of 15 microgram to each hemisphere but not with doses of 1.8 or 6.0 microgram. The 15 microgram but not the 1.8 microgram dose also suppressed food intake. It is argued that the cholinergic antagonist atropine sulfate only suppresses mouse killing at high doses which produce a general suppression of behavior.