[Spike activity recorded at the level of optic tract in a primate, Papio papio]

Spike activity has been recorded, in two young baboons, at the part of the optic tract (O.T.) localized between the chiasma and the lateral geniculate (L.G.) during REM and also slow wave sleep, preceding or not a REM period. These spikes, mono or biphasic, were of 60-200 ms duration and of 30-140 muV amplitude. They occurred generally in bursts (up to 50 spikes); 4 to 10 spikes bursts were the more frequent. These O.T. spikes were assimilated to the L.G. spikes.