Modulation of cortical and pyramidal tract induced motor responses by electrical stimulation of the basal ganglia

Two general mechanisms based on anatomical studies are possible for modulation of motor activity by the caudate nucleus and globus pallidus. These mechanisms are: (1) modulation of the output of cortical neurons that exert motor influences; and (2) modulation of subcortical neurons that exert motor influences. Differentiation between these two mechanisms was accomplished in the present study by two experimental approaches, both of which employed the conditioning-test paradigm. The first approach was an investigation of caudate nucleus or globus pallidus modulation (conditioning stimulus) of flexor responses of the anterior tibialis muscle elicited by electrical stimulation of the sensorimotor cortex (test stimulus) or pyramidal tract (test stimulus). These investigations were carried out in the intact and in decorticate cats. The second approach was an analysis of modulation or cortically induced pyramidal tract responses (direct and indirect, D-I potentials) by conditioning shock trains delivered to various loci within the caudate nucleus or globus pallidus. Both approaches were designed to determine whixh inhibitory and facilitatory motor influences of the basal ganglia occurred at a cortical or subcortical level. Simultaneous stimulation of a locus within the caudate nucleus and the sensorimotor cortex evoked either an enhancement, reduction or no alteration of the cortically induced increase in flexor responses (measured by Ia afferent activity, EMG, myogram). In contrast, no inhibitory influences occurred from caudate nucleus stimulation upon pyramidal tract induced flexor responses in either the intact or decorticate preparation. Inhibitory loci were distributed toward the rostral portion of the caudate nucleus, whereas facilitatory loci were distributed throughout; this distribution was statistically significant (chi2; P less than 0.01). Only enhancement or no influence upon cortical induced or pyramidal tract induced responses were obtained by conditioning stimuli to the globus pallidus. In the unanesthetized but immobilized cat, trains of shocks delivered to the caudate nucleus enhanced, reduced or had no influence upon the cortically evoked direct (D) and indirect (I) potentials recorded in the bulbar pyramidal tract. The distribution of facilitatory and inhibitory loci was organized in a similar fashion as in theanesthetized preparation. From these observations, a model was proposed in which the output of the caudate nucleus exerts both facilitatory or inhibitory modulation of the tonically active globus pallidus cells. The latter in turn predominantly or exclusively facilitate output of pyramidal tract neurons as well as the output of subcortical structures; both effects facilitate motor responses at the spinal level.