Conditioned avoidance reflex and intersignal movements: interrelationship of cardiac and motor components

The correlation of the heart rate (HR), of a conditioned motoric reaction, and intersignal movements was studied during the development of a conditioned reflex (CR) of avoidance using V.P. Petropavlovskii's methods. The level of defensive motivation, assessed on the basis of the magnitude of changes in HR was maximal against the background of a firmly developed CR during the course of the latent period of the conditioned motoric reaction. A sharp decrease in the level of defensive excitation took place against the background of the latter, expressed in the prolonged holding of the extremity in place in the safety zone (height of rise 5-10 cm, guaranteeing the avoidance of electrodermal stimulation of the extremity). Intersignal movements of two types were described: the first in the form of phasic flexions; the second repeats the conditioned motoric reaction of the holding of the extremity in place. A reduction in defensive excitation took place against the background of the latter, like that which took place during the elevation of the extremity against the background of the combination.