On alert cats the change was studied of the activity of the neurones of the sensorimotor cortical area at instrumental reaction to a simultaneous heteromodal complex stimulus. It was shown that in the projection of distal limb areas a group could be singled out of neurones, which changed their activity in one direction depending on the character of presented signals. In these cells an increase of discharges frequency was observed in response to complex stimulus, consisting of light and sound signals. After the extinction of the motor reaction both to the complex stimulus and to its components neuronal reactions of lesser intensity was recorded, what determined the absence of the motor reaction. This group of neurones had receptive fields localized on distal limb areas, it was activated at fulfillment of the movement of catching the reinforcement and belonged to neurones of the pyramidal tract. The neurones with receptive fields on the whole limb surface or changing their activity at the animal pose change, had variable reactions to positive and differentiation stimuli.

Translated title of the contributionThe characteristics of the neuronal reactions of the cat somatosensory cortex to a heteromodal complex conditioned signal
Original languageRussian
Pages (from-to)527-536
Number of pages10
JournalZhurnal Vysshei Nervnoi Deyatelnosti Imeni I.P. Pavlova
Volume42
Issue number3
StatePublished - 1 May 1992

    Scopus subject areas

  • Physiology
  • Neuroscience(all)
  • Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology

ID: 36357958