Effect of a dominant focus in the mesencephalic reticular formation on the functional state of the sensomotor cortex.

Abstract

1. A dominant state formed in the mesencephalic reticular formation during high-frequency electrical stimulation of that structure had an influence on the functional state of the sensomotor cortex. This was manifested as a simultaneous statistically significant increase in amplitude of the evoked cortical potentials and in the number of motor responses to afferent stimuli used to reveal the dominant state. 2. Repeated stimulation of the retipular formation against the background of increased excitability of the CNS led to the formation of a pathological defensive dominant, expressed as manifestation of characteristic series of limb movements of the same kind, both to application of the stimuli and in the intervals between them. This state persisted for a long time during the work and also after an interval between experiments (lasting one month or more).