[Dynamics of the impulse activity of somatosensory cortical neurons during conditioned instrumental reactions]

Spike activity of 41 units in the first somatosensory cortical area was studied on unrestrained cats during the performance of a fixed conditioned alimentary instrumental reaction. Light or sound was used as a conditioned stimulus. The whole behavioral act was divided into six stages. It has been shown that different units of the somatosensory cortex change their spike activity either at all or only at some stages of the conditioned instrumental behavioral act. At no stage of the food-procuring behaviour does spike activity of the studied neurones essentially depend on the sensory modality of the conditioned signal. Units with an identified peripheral receptive field change their spike activity more pronouncedly than those with non-identified receptive fields.