Abstract
1. 1. In cats deeply anaesthetised with Nembutal, depression of evoked responses in the thalamic somato-sensory relay nuclei by a preceding penicillin evoked discharge from somato-sensory cortex I has been described. 2. 2. The site of this depression has been located within the thalamic relay nuclei. 3. 3. A subconvulsive dose of strychnine given intravenously has been shown to abolish the depression, and cause enhancement by a preceding penicillin-evoked cortical discharge of the thalamic evoked responses. 4. 4. It is postulated that the penicillin evoked cortical discharge causes intense firing in cortico-thalamic neurones which have both inhibitory and excitatory synaptic endings in the somato-sensory relay nuclei, the inhibitory synapses predominant. The action of strychnine is inferred to be the selective blockade of the inhibitory synapses which in turn unmasks the excitatory activity, and changes inhibition of thalamic activity to facilitation. 5. 5. It is stressed that the functions of such a specific system of afferent control is probably quite different from that of the more general regulation exerted by the brainstem reticular formation.
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