The extent of correlation and the latency of evoked potentials to sound, recorded bilaterally in the frontal cortex and lateral hypothalamus of cats, were studied at different stages of the acquisition of an operant food-related reflex and during sudden transfer to 30% food reinforcement. High correlation coefficients between the evoked responses of the cortex and hypothalamus with left-sided dominance were seen in conditions of high levels of food motivation at the beginning of each experiment and in conditions of the high-probability appearance of the acquired conditioned reflex throughout the rest of the experiment. Comparison of the peak latencies of the early positive (P55-80) components of evoked potentials on the right and left sides showed that shorter latent periods were seen in the cortex on the left side at all behavioral stages, while this occurred (on the left side) in the hypothalamus only when the conditioned reflex was unfixed, while after fixation of the reflex and provision of 30% reinforcement, shorter latent periods were seen on the right side. It is concluded that the high level of left-sided correlation of evoked potentials in the hypothalamus was associated with the motivational and motor components of purposive behavior and was not associated with the emotional tension of the animals provoked by the disruption of the food reinforcement stereotype.

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The amplitude-time characteristics of potentials evoked by clicks were analyzed in bilateral leads from the lateral hypothalamus and amygdala in cats in conditions of food-related motivation, emotional tension (presentation of dogs), and orientational reactions. In conditions of food-related motivation, as compared with the satiated state, there were decreases in the latent periods and changes in the amplitudes of the P1 and N2 components in the hypothalamus and P1, N2, and N3 in the amygdala. The most marked changes occurred on the left side in both structures. Presentation of dogs induced decreases in the latent periods of all components (including N1) of evoked potentials in the hypothalamus and amygdala, the most marked changes in the hypothalamus occurring on the right side and the most marked changes in the amygdala occurring on the left side. Conversely, orientational reactions to emotionally neutral stimuli induced increases in the latent periods of evoked potentials. It is concluded that there is an increase in sensory reactivity in the hypothalamus and amygdala in motivational-emotional states. It is suggested that the side of dominance in these structures may be associated both with the factor of the activity/passivity of the behavior in conditions of fear and the genesis of the emotion (motivational or informational).

Analysis of the behavior of 19 Chinchilla rabbits the first time they were placed in an open field allowed them to be divided into three groups differing in terms of investigative movement activity (passive rabbits accounted for 37%, active for 21%, and intermediate for 42%). On repeat placing in the open field, passive rabbits increased and active rabbits decreased their levels of activity. Correlations were found between the rabbits' behavior in the open field and the nature of their external respiration in the absence of movements in the comfort situation. Passive rabbits, as compared with intermediate and active animals, showed longer respiratory cycles, expirations, and breath holds in expiration. Animals with a predominance of right-hand turns in the open field showed shorter respiratory cycles and expirations than animals with a predominance of left-hand turns. These studies led to the conclusion that the characteristics of external respiration can serve as a predictive factor for the passive-defensive strategy of behavior in rabbits in emotionally negative situations.

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