[Effect of a dominant focus in the midbrain reticular formation on the functional state of the motor analyzer]

Abstract

In chronic experiments on rabbits it was shown that after two-three stimulations of the midbrain reticular formation (stimulation frequency 200 cps, pulse duration 0.1-0.5 ms, voltage 1-3 V, stimulation duration 5 s) a dominant focus was formed in it, which led simultaneously to a statistically significant increase in the amplitude of evoked potential in the sensorimotor cerebral cortex and in motor reactions to afferent stimuli (light, sound). The state of increased excitability persisted for a long time (10-30 days depending on the number of stimulations of the reticular formation). Multiple stimulation of the reticular formation (5-12 times) led to creation of a pathological defensive dominant, manifested in a unitype series of legs movements in response to light and sound stimuli.