Reaching-related potentials in caudate nucleus and cerebellum of rats.

Electrical correlates of the lateralized reaching reaction was studied in rats with implanted electrodes. Averaged event-related potentials (ERPs) in the cerebellar dentate nucleus consisted of a negative wave coinciding with reach onset and followed 70 msec later by a positive deflection. The most prominent component of the more variable caudate ERPs was a negative wave culminating 60--120 msec after reach onset. The positive and negative ERP deflections corresponded to inhibitory and excitatory reactions respectively, at the single neuron level.