Monoaminergic amygdalar mechanisms of conditioned reflexes of varied biological modality

Microinjection of dopamine and serotonin into the dorsomedial zones of the rat amygdala led to an increase in the latent period of conditioned defensive and motor-food reflexes, spontaneous motor activity, and the number of pushing movements and the magnitude of the food-grasping reflex. Noradrenalin had no effect on the parameters of the conditioned food reflex but facilitated the conditioned avoidance reflex, reducing its latent period considerably. The results are evidence of the specificity of the neurochemical mechanism responsible for reflexes of varied biological modality at the amygdalar level in rats.