Electrophysiological studies on cerebello-cerebral projections in the cat.

Abstract

1. Cerebello-cerebral projections were electrophysiologically investigated in cats under light Nembutal anaesthesia. Marked responses were produced by stimulation of the interpositus and the lateral nucleus of the cerebellum not only in the pericruciate but also in the suprasylvian cortical areas, both areas being contralateral to the cerebellar nuclei stimulated. Medial nucleus stimulation set up little or no response in the cerebral cortex. 2. The previous electrophysiological study on thalamo-cortical (T-C) projections showed two different kinds of responses in the cortex due presumably to two different T-C projection systems, i. e., deep and superficial T-C responses (see Sasaki et al., 1970). According to laminar field potential analysis, the response in the pericruciate area is characterized by a deep T-C response which is often followed by a superficial T-C response, whereas the response in the parietal cortex consists of a pure superficial T-C response. Intracellular potential changes in cortical neurones elicited by cerebellar nucleus stimulation were consistent with the results of laminar field potential analysis. 3. Comparison between laminar field potentials in the same cortex produced by thalamic and cerebellar nucleus stimulation suggests that the response in the pericruciate cortex is mediated by the ventral lateral nucleus and that the response in the parietal cortex is relayed by the ventral anterior nucleus of the thalamus.