Summary
Mass discharges were recorded from the dissected left restiform body in unanaesthetized, decerebrate, and decerebellate cats. The spinal cord was severed in the thoracic or cervical region sparing only the left ventral quadrant. In this preparation the discharges were shown to relate largely or exclusively to activity in the reticulocerebellar tract originating from the lateral reticular nucleus. The ascending spinal tract was identified with the bilateral ventral flexor reflex tract (bVFRT) of Lundberg and Oscarsson (1962). The reticulocerebellar tract was activated from the flexor reflex afferents and nerve volleys from each of the four limbs were equally effective. It is concluded that the lateral reticular nucleus is not responsible for the somatotopically organized projection of cutaneous afferents, as assumed before. The bVFRT is strongly influenced from the cerebellar cortex and the organization of the closed loop formed between the cortex and the spinal cord is discussed.
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This investigation was supported by the Swedish Medical Research Council (Projects No. Y 670, 14X-606-01K, 14X-1013-01). Technical assistance was given by Mr. A. Jönsson, Miss Eva Löfquist, Miss Kristina Nilsson and Miss Ulla Persson.
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Grant, G., Oscarsson, O. & Rosén, I. Functional organization of the spinoreticulocerebellar path with identification of its spinal component. Exp Brain Res 1, 306–319 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00237703
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00237703