Reflection of the state of hunger in impulse activity of nose wing muscles and upper esophageal sphincter muscles was studied in chronic experiments on rabbits subjected to 24-h food deprivation in the absence of locomotion and during search behavior. In the absence of apparent behavioral activity, including sniffing, alai nasi muscles of hungry rabbits constantly generated bursts of action potentials synchronous with breathing, while upper esophageal sphincter muscles exhibited regular aperiodic low-amplitude impulse activity of tonic type. Latent form of food motivation was reflected in the structure of temporal organization of impulse activity of alai nasi muscles in the form of bimodal distribution of interpulse intervals and in temporal structure of impulse activity of upper esophageal sphincter muscles in the form of monomodal distribution. The latent form of food motivation was manifested in the structure of temporal organization of periods of the action potentials burst-like rhythm, generated by alai nasi muscles, in the form of monomodal distribution, characterized by a high degree of dispersion of respiratory cycle periods. In the absence of physical activity hungry animals sporadically exhibited sniffing activity, manifested in the change from the burst-like impulse activity of alai nasi muscles to the single-burst activity type with bimodal distribution of interpulse intervals and monomodal distribution of the burst-like action potentials rhythm periods, the maximum of which was shifted towards lower values, which was the cause of increased respiratory rate. At the same time, the monomodal temporal structure of impulse activity of the upper esophageal sphincter muscles was not changed. With increasing food motivation in the process of search behavior temporal structure of periods of the burst-like action potentials rhythm, generated by alai nasi muscles, became similar to that observed during sniffing, not accompanied by animal's locomotion, which is typical for the increased respiratory rhythm frequency. Increased hunger motivation was reflected in the temporal structure of impulse activity of upper esophageal sphincter muscles in the form of a shift to lower values of the maximum of monomodal distribution of interpulse intervals on the histogram, resulting in higher impulse activity frequency. The simultaneous increase in the frequency of action potentials bursts generation by alai nasi muscles and regular impulse activity of upper esophageal sphincter muscles is a reliable criterion for enhanced food motivation during search behavior in rabbits.

Impulse activity of masticatory muscles, jaw elevators and depressors, during hunger, eating, and satiation was studied in chronic experiments on rabbits. The state of hunger is specifically reflected in the structure of temporal organization of impulse activity of proper masticatory muscles as a monomodal distribution of interpulse intervals and in activity of the mylohyoid muscle as bimodal distributions. Food intake induces reorganization of the temporal structure of impulse activity in both muscles manifesting in the form of similar bimodal patterns of distributions of interpulse intervals.

A method for registration of the sniffing component of the search behavior in rabbits subjected to food deprivation is suggested. Pulsed activities of the muscles controlling the movements of the wings of the nostrils and the pressure in the nasal cavity are recorded simultaneously. The method allows accurate artifact-free registration of the time and amplitude parameters of the sniffing component of the search behavior. The registration is realized on an MP150 programmed complex, consisting of EMG 100C biopotential amplifiers and Samba 202 intracavitary pressure recorder. The method allows synchronous real-time registration of pulsed activities of the muscles setting in motion the wings of the nostrils and the changes in the intranasal pressure in the course of search behavior of animals under conditions of food deprivation without limiting their locomotor activity.

Threshold stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus in starving and preliminary fed (satiated) rabbits in the absence of feed induces searching behavior associated with burst-like impulse activity of proper masticatory muscle with a bimodal distribution of interpulse intervals, what represents an anticipatory type of reaction. The increase in the level of food motivation during threshold stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus in starving and satiated rabbits with the food offered led to successful food-procuring behavior, during which the frequency and amplitude of spike bursts in the proper masticatory muscle become comparable with those under conditions of natural foraging behavior stimulated by the need in nutrients. Motivational excitation and backward afferentation from food reward are addressed to the same neurons of the masticatory center in the medulla oblongata.