Anatomical organization of the phasic activity produced by reserpine at the level of the oculomotor system

The organization of the pathways responsible for the transmission of phasic electrical activity at the level of the oculomotor system was studied in the encéphale isolé cat which was injected with reserpine or exhibited spontaneous phases of paradoxical sleep. At the level of the VIth nuclei there are both ipsilateral and contralateral connections deriving from each generator. The ipsilateral pathway transmits an "inhibiting" potential eliciting electromyographic inhibition of the ipsilateral rectus muscle, and the contralateral pathway, an "activating" potential eliciting activation of the corresponding lateral rectus muscle. A medial saggital section from frontal plane APO, extending caudally to the VIth nuclei at frontal plan P9 is necessary to suppress the bilateral synchronization of phasic activities recorded from the VIth nuclei and the activation of the lateral rectus muscles. The areas responsible for phasic activity recorded at the level of the central visual and oculomotor systems have been delimited through brain transections. The pathways responsible for the transmission of phasic activity at the level of the IIIrd and IVth nuclei are contiguous with the ponto-geniculate pathways. This was demonstrated by electrocoagulation.