[Convergence of sensory and cortical inputs on caudate nucleus neurons]

The immobilized cats, the influences of 2nd somatosensory and temporal areas on responses of the caudate nucleus' neurons to stimulation of the tibial and splanchnic nerves, were studied. The majority of spontaneously active neurons responded to the cortical stimulation, mainly from the 2nd somatosensory area. Over half of the neurons revealed the "binareal" feature. The typical form of interaction of the cortical and sensory stimuli (with the 50-msec interval between the conditioning and the testing stimuli) was either partial or complete suppression of responses of the caudate neurons both to the somatic and to the visceral stimulation. The results of cortico-sensory interaction were independent of the nature and functional significance of the stimulated cortical areas.