[Activity of visual and motor cortex neurons during performance of a behavioral act with open and closed eyes]

The influence of closing the eyes (by means of a special device) on the neuronal activity in the visual and motor cortical areas was analysed in a trained rabbit during behavioural act of seizing the food. It was found that activation of the neurones of both cortical areas in the course of the act appears both with closed and open eyes at all its stages, i.e. for appearance of neurons activity no contact is required with the "visual part" of the surroundings. This fact is discussed from the viewpoint of "purposive" neuronal activity. Both the composition of the involved elements of both cortical areas and the shape of their activity were changing during performance of behaviour with closed eyes, the changes being more pronounced in the visual area. A hypothesis is advanced that the differences in the changeability of the neuronal activation in the studied structures are determined by their heterochronous maturation in the process of behaviour formation in ontogenesis.