Spike responses of neurons in the motor area of the cortex of elderly rabbits to specific stimuli.

The spike responses of neurons in the motor area of the cortex to tactile and electrocutaneous stimulation of the forelimb were studied in elderly (aged 6-7 years) rabbits. In comparison with young rabbits, the cortex of adult animals contained fewer cells responding to afferent stimulation. The activatory responses of neurons in elderly animals showed smaller increases in the spike frequency from the baseline level. Long-latency, slow activatory responses, which were not characteristic of cortical neurons in young animals, appeared; the pattern of these responses could be partially corrected by administration of acetylcholine in the vicinity of the neurons being recorded. The parameters of inhibitory responses were enzyme of the significantly different in animals of different ages.