Motivated behaviors produced by increased arousal in the presence of goal objects

Low doses of sodium pentobarbital injected i.p. in satiated rats increased wet mash intake to approximately the level of a 24 hr food deprived animal. Intakes of quinine adulterated mash and a nonnutritive bulk substance were similar for the pentobarbital injected animals and for 24 hr food deprived animals. Further tests demonstrated that the drug potentiates pain-elicited aggression, but has no effect on running in an activity wheel. These data are incorporated in an hypothesis that increased arousal in the presence of a goal object is sufficient to elicit the consummatory response appropriate to that goal object.