Intracellular evidence linking medial pontine reticular formation neurons to PGO wave generation

Intracellular recordings in the medial portion of the pontine reticular formation in the gigantocellular tegmental field and the tegmental reticular nucleus of the naturally sleeping cat have indicated the presence of a class of neurons whose discharges have a long lead time (50-300 ms) prior to, and a high correlation with primary ponto-geniculo-occipital (PGO) waves in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) ipsilateral to the recording site; we term these neurons long lead PGO wave positive neurons. Further correlative evidence for their being a part of the circuitry generating PGO waves was their discharge suppression prior to the occurrence of secondary PGO waves in the ipsilateral LGN, and the presence of a contralateral inhibitory input that may explain the occurrence of PGO waves with lateralized amplitude characteristics.