Pyramidal control of skin potential responses in the cat

Pyramidal command of Skin Potential Response (SPR) was investigated in 20 cats paralyzed by gallamine and under a halothane anaesthetic. For each animal, a transection of the medulla sparing only the pyramidal tract was carried out. The pyramidal tract and Mesencephalic Reticular Formation (MRF) were stimulated before and after the transection. Results taken before transection show that the SPR can be elicited from stimulation of the pyramidal tract and the MRF. After transection, stereotaxic stimulations of the pyramidal tract still evoked the SPR even after aspiration of the medullary tissue posterior to the section and overlying the pyramids. Control reticular stimulations with higher stimulus intensities failed to evoked the SPR. These results show that stimulation of the pyramidal tract can elicit the SPR independently of reticulospinal neurons. It is hypothesized that a group of corticospinal fibers could transmit volleys having autonomic activity on preganglionic autonomic neurons of the intermediate zone of the grey matter.