Cortico-subcortical synchronization in the chloralose-anesthetized cat

The spontaneous and paroxysmal cerebral cortical synchronized activity was used as reference to study the cortical impact exerted on subcortical neuro ns. The sensorimotor cortical synchronized activity spread down to subcorti cal structures receiving direct cortical input, including neuronal populati ons that originate descending rubrospinal, tectospinal and reticulospinal m otor axons, and to a somatosensory relay station, the cuneate nucleus. Lesi on of the pyramidal tract abolished the cortically induced synchronization of the activity of contralateral cuneate nucleus neurons.