[Reticular pathways of corticofugal impulse transmission]

The organization of the reticular pathways for transmission of the corticofugal influences was investigated on cats under chloralose anesthesia. It is found that reticulospinal neurons, cells with ascending-descending projections and ascending reticular neurons projecting into the hypothalamus, transmit signals from both fast and slow corticofugal fibres. A fast cortico-reticulospinal pathway is found for transmission of signals from the slow corticofugal fibres only. This pathway is organized by fast reticulospinal and ascending-descending reticular cells of medulla and pons. Functional role of these pathways is discussed.