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How does stimulation of the cat hypothalamus affect fleeing behavior?
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Avoidance behaviour
Cat fleeing by upward climbing.
In cats, electrical stimulation of specific sites within the hypothalamus produces a distinct form of active avoidance behaviour. This type of fleeing is characterized by continuous movement and frequent upward climbing.1
This response is distinct from fleeing behaviors triggered by stimulation in other brain regions, such as the thalamus, which instead cause the animal to crouch, slink close to the floor, look around, and attempt to hide. Generally, brain sites associated with this specific type of fleeing behavior are found within the hypothalamic and mesencephalic zones of mammals and birds.1