Pyramidal unit activity in unanesthetized cats

Pyramidal unit activity in unanesthetized cats at rest and during voluntary movement was recorded by a microelectrode technique from the motor cortex for the forelimb. Some pyramidal neurons were not spontaneously active. The conduction velocity along the axon of these neurons was sometimes high (up to 71.5 m/sec), sometimes low (up to 11.2 m/sec). The remaining pyramidal neurons had spontaneous activity with a mean frequency of 1.29 to 43 spikes/sec. Analysis of interspike interval histograms of spontaneous activity and of autocorrelation histograms showed grouping of the spikes into volleys in most pyramidal neurons (irrespective of the conduction velocity). During voluntary movements the change in the activity of many pyramidal units correlated with changes in the EMG. The firing rate of the pyramidal neurons under these circumstances began to rise at least 50 msec before the increase in amplitude of the EMG and it remained high throughout the movement. The firing rate of most neurons during movement was 40–60/sec. The results are compared with those obtained by other workers who studied pyramidal unit activity of monkeys during voluntary movement.     

Central neural stimulation of respiration in unanesthetized decerebrate cats.

A previously reported central neural respiratory control process was restudied in unanesthetized decerebrate cats during spontaneous breathing, and during conditions of constant chemical stimulation where phrenic nerve activity was used to quantitate respiratory output. Respiration was increased by carotid sinus nerve stimulation. The pattern of respiration was examined at the cessation of such stimulation. In spontaneously breathing animals, active hyperventilation (HV) was followed by hyperpnea for up to 30 s and never by apnea. Passive HV was always followed by apnea. In animals with controlled chemical conditions, the transient at the end of stimulation consisted of two components, the first an immediate decrease in respiratory output and the second a slow decrease with a period of over 5 m. It is suggested that a facilitatory feedback process, probably located in the reticular activating system, maintains respiratory output for some time after cessation of a stimulus. This study duplicates the results of previous studies and shows that no area of the brain above the pons is required for the mechanism's operation.     

Multisensory convergence on neurons of the motor cortex in unanesthetized cats

Postsynaptic potentials (PSPs) of 83 neurons in the motor cortex of unanesthetized cats in response to electrodermal, photic, and acoustic stimulation were investigated by intra-and quasi-intracellular recording methods. Most cells responded to stimulation of at least one limb. About 60% of neurons of the posterior and over 75% of neurons of the anterior sigmoid gyrus responded to stimulation of two (or more) limbs. In 29 of 39 neurons of the anterior and 12 of 44 of the posterior sigmoid gyrus PSPs with a short (less than 50 msec) and stable latent period were evoked by flashes and clicks. On presentation of two somesthetic stimuli complete blocking (if the interval was less than 30–60 msec) or weakening (interval 30–200 msec) of responses to the second (testing) stimulus was observed. On presentation of paired photic (or acoustic) stimuli or paired stimuli of different modalities at various intervals from 0 to 100 msec, the testing response was often potentiated. The character of the responses and their interaction thus differed from those obtained under chloralose anesthesia [6, 7]. It is postulated that under the action of chloralose a system of neurons with strong excitatory feedback is formed in the motor cortex which may respond to stimuli of different modalities by something resembling the "all or nothing" principle.Brain Institute, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 3, No. 6, pp. 563–573, November–December, 1971.     

Responses of auditory cortex neurons in unanesthetized cats to best-frequency tones

The characteristics of extra- and intracellular responses of neurons in the AI region were studied in experiments with unanesthetized cats. It was established that auditory cortex neurons with similar best frequencies showed different forms of responses to tones of the corresponding frequency. About 40% of the auditory cortex neurons generated on responses to tone presentation. On — off and off responses were found in 27% of the neurons. Cortical neurons (27%) in which stimulation or inhibition of impulse discharge persisted throughout tone action were assigned to the tonic type group of cells. Approximately 6% of neurons in the AI region did not respond to a tone. During intracellular recording about 85% of the neurons responded to the turning on and/or off of a tone by generating an action potential followed by an IPSI. In 96% of the cortical neurons studied the IPSPs were a constant component of the intracellular responses to a tone. It is concluded that the inhibition of the impulse activity of the given neurons is of primarily a postsynaptic origin. Neurons showing one or another form of response differ from one another in the relative intensity and time characteristics of excitatory and inhibitory processes interacting on their postsynaptic membranes. In neurons of the phasic type inhibitory processes are dominant over excitatory, while excitatory processes are predominant in neurons of the tonic type.A. A. Bogomolets Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Kiev. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 17, No. 4, pp. 500–508, July–August, 1985.     

Stretch and unloading reflexes in cortically evoked movements of unanesthetized cats

Using the same experimental prodedure as we employed in the previous paper [5], extension and flexion cortically-evoked movements (CEM) about the elbow joint have been analyzed in unanesthetized cats by an external load disturbance method (ELD). These movements were evoked by intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) of the motor cortex. A combined quantitative analysis has been made of extension and flexion CEM and also motor reactions evoked by direct stimulation of the muscle antagonists, in unanesthetized animals. Determinations were made of the resulting stiffness at different stages of two sequential oppositely directed cycles of change in the external load, and of the uncertainty index (UI) of the disturbed movements. Depending on the relationship between the directions of the preceding and the disturbed movement, the CEM in the cyclical backwards and forwards external load changes were divided into two types: coincident (type 1), and opposite (type 2). If the preceding movement was evoked by ICMS, then disturbed movements (types 1 and 2) were a realization of phasic myotatic reflexes, the unloading and stretch reflexes, respectively. Type 1 disturbed movements are characterized by a rather narrow range of variation of the mean UI values (0.43–0.91 and 0.24–0.73 for frequencies of disturbance 1.2 and 3.2 Hz, respectively). The transition to type 2 CEM brought about a sharp increase in the scatter of mean UI values; they could be positive or negative, and the dispersion also increased significantly. It is suggested that the intensity of central processes of regulation of a disturbed movement are connected not so much with its continuous development, as with changes in its direction.A. A. Bogomolets Institute of Physiology, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Kiev. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 24, No. 3, pp. 330–339, May–June, 1992.     

Depressor reactions to sural nerve stimulation in intact unanesthetized cats]

Changes in the arterial pressure, in the heart and respiratory rate evoked by the gastrocnemuis nerve stimulation were studied on conscious cats before and during intravenous injection of noradrenaline. Stimulation of the gastrocnemius nerve increased the arterial pressure, the heart and respiratory rates. The same stimulation of the nerve during hypertension caused by noradrenaline injection led to the fall of arterial pressure and tachycardia. The depressor response failed to change under the effect of the beta-adrenoreceptor block and disappeared after the m-cholinoreceptor block with methylatropine. The depressor response was absent in the unanesthetized decerebrated cats. It is supposed that the depressor response of the arterial pressure depended on the strong cholinergic vasodilatation, reflexively evoked by stimulation of the motor nerve in the intact cats.     

Frequency analysis of motor responses evoked in unanesthetized cats by stimulation of the motor cortex

Frequency characteristics of motor responses evoked by stimulation of the motor cortex by amplitude- and frequency-modulated stimulus sequences were investigated in chronic experiments on unanesthetized cats. The variable component of evoked muscular contraction was studied. Frequency characteristic curves were plotted by the harmonic linearization method. Transformation of controlling signals in the motor system was shown to take place by low-frequency filtration and to be characterized by nonstationary, nonlinear, and frequency-dependent properties. Phase delay of the principal harmonic of the variable component of evoked muscular contraction was minimal at a frequency of 0.2 Hz and it varied in different experiments from 40 to 90°. The increase in the phase delay and decline of the amplitude-frequency characteristic curves were particularly marked if the frequency exceeded 1–2 Hz. The mean phase delay at a frequency of 5 Hz was about 108°; the mean slope of the amplitude characteristic curves in the 2–10 Hz region was –12 dB/decade. It is suggested that definite correlation between the dynamic properties of the motor system may be determined, in particular, by the adaptive properties of the spike discharge of neurons concerned in the transmission of motor command signals.A. A. Bogomolets Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Kiev. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 12, No. 6, pp. 571–579, November–December, 1980.     

Dynamic characteristics of motor responses evoked by stimulation of the motor cortex in unanesthetized cats

Temporal characteristics of motor responses evoked in unanesthetized cats by stimulation of the motor cortex through bipolar needle electrodes were investigated in chronic experiments. Isometric and isotonic contractions of the flexor muscles of the hip and knee joints of the limb contralateral to the point of stimulation were recorded. The latent period of response varied from 100 msec or more in the case of low-frequency (100–150 Hz) and low-threshold (1.1–1.2 thresholds) stimulation of the motor cortex to 30–35 msec in the case of "optimal" parameters of stimulation (300–400 Hz, 1.5–1.6 thresholds). If the intensity of stimulation was high enough the rising time constant of evoked contraction was 50–80 msec; values of the falling time constant of muscular contraction after cessation of stimulation were much greater, namely 150–300 msec. The rising time constant of contraction decreased with an increase in both the frequency and strength of motor cortical stimulation. The results are examined and discussed from the standpoint of methods of automatic control theory.A. A. Bogomolets Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Kiev. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 12, No. 5, pp. 451–458, September–October, 1980.     

Spectral analysis on fluctuation of heat period in paralyzed,vagotomized, and unanesthetized decerebrate cats

Spectral analysis was performed on the heart period fluctuation in vagotomized, paralyzed, and unanesthetized decerebrate cats. The heart period was measured as the time interval between successive R waves of the electrocardiograms. When end-tidal P_CO2 was set at the same level as that before immobilization, the power spectral density plot of the heart period fluctuation showed several distinct peaks: one peak corresponded to the frequency of the artificial ventilator and the others to its harmonics. In addition, the spectral density plot had another peak centered at the intrinsic respiratory frequency evaluated by recording efferent phrenic neural discharges. The amplitude of these spectral peaks tended to become greater when the end-tidal P_CO2was increased by adding CO₂ to the input gas. Our results, therefore, provide evidence that the heart period is modulated not only by the artificial ventilation rhythm but also by the centrally generated respiratory rhythm, and suggested that the strength of such central interactions between cardiac and respiratory rhythms varies depending on the end-tidal P_CO2 level.     

Hysteresis properties of movement in elbow joint of unanesthetized cats when antagonistic muscles are activated using different methods

Flexing and extending movements of the elbow joint were studied in unanesthetized cats. These movements were evoked by intracortical microstimulation and by vibration of the forepaw. After the animals were anesthetized the same movements were studied in response to direct stimulation of the antagonistic muscles. Interaction of the hysteresis effects in the antagonistic muscles under conditions of cortical-evoked movements in response to stimulation of two points of the cortex, one of which evoked flexion, and the other extension of the elbow joint, was studied using external local disturbance. Coactivation of the antagonists was shown to increase both the joint stiffness and the ambiguity of the equilibrium of the joint angle. This ambiguity was expressed in both the antagonistic actuating disturbances as well as in the change of the sequence for activating the antagonistic muscles. Comparison of the cortical-evoked movements and movements evoked by vibrating the forepaw when tested with an external load disturbance showed that with intracortical microstimulation the myotatic reflexes in the activated muscle are suppressed, but when vibration is used they are well defined in both antagonistic muscles. At the same time, in spite of the significantly different pathways for activating spinal neurons, the ambiguity effects displayed when determining the equilibrium of the joint angle were similar in both cases.A. A. Bogomolets Physiology Institute, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Kiev. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 24, No. 3, pp. 322–330, May–June, 1991.