[Motor rhythms synchronous with respiration in the decerebration syndrome of man]

Rhythmical somatomotor discharges in the EMG from arms and legs are recorded together with the respiration in decerebrated patients. The rhythms of 7-18/min are synchronous with respiration. The slow activations of 0.3-0.8/min are related to periods of acceleration with higher amplitudes of respiration. The quick rhythms above 2/min correlate with single respiratory movements. They are interpreted as a phenomenon of disinhibition of lower brain stem structures.