Effect of stimulation of the reticular nucleus of the thalamus on neuronal activity of associative and nonspecific thalamic structures.

The reactions of neurons of the centromedian, mediodorsal, and posterior lateral nuclei of the thalamus to electrostimulation of its reticular nucleus were studied in experiments on anesthetized cats. A high reactivity of neurons of the centromedian (53.7%) and mediodorsal (48.3%) nuclei in comparison with the posterior lateral (10%) was established. "Silent" neurons reacted by an excitatory type of reaction having a phasic chamber. Primary and secondary inhibitory reactions were noted among the spontaneously active neurons. The latent period of the excitatory reactions of the neurons of the centromedian nucleus varied from 5 to 33.6 msec (14.83 +/- 1.77 msec) and of the mediodorsal nucleus from 3.5 to 44.8 msec (18.03 +/- 2.5 msec). A high degree of convergence of reticular and somatovisceral signals on neurons of the centromedian nucleus (52.83%) and mediodorsal nucleus (53.5%) was found. An inhibitory type of interaction of central and peripheral influences was established.