[Organization of the connections of the putamen with the cerebral cortex and hypothalamus]

Abstract

Connection between the putamen, the brain cortex and the hypothalamus, as well as the role of the former in different aspects of purposive behaviour have been studied in a complex morpho-physiological investigation. In 12 cats, after developing a symmetrical active-defensive conditioned reflex, unilateral electrolysis of the putamen has been performed and the number of conditioned-reflexive reactions have been counted before and after coagulation. The brains have been treated after Nauta--Gygax, Fink--Heimer with additional staining after Kawamura--Niimi. Monosynaptic connections of the putamen with frontal, precentral, postcentral, orbital, parietal cortical areas have been revealed; direct pathways from the putamen to the infundibulum of the grey tuber, to the posterior and lateral hypothalamic nucleus have been demonstrated; participation of the putamen in the formation of active-defensive conditioned reflexes has been stated, as well as in emotional behaviour with a preferable use either the right or the left foreleg.