EFFECT OF DENTATE AND RUBRAL STIMULATION ON NEURONAL ACTIVITY IN RED NUCLEUS

Microelectrode recordings in anesthetized cats demonstrated that stimulation of either the contralateral or ipsilateral cerebellar dentate nucleus could increase or decrease the activity of the cells in the red nucleus. Similar change in the spontaneous discharge activity could be produced by stimulation of the contralateral red nucleus. Further, a time-locked response could be evoked by stimulation of the contralateral dentate nucleus with a latency varying from 1 to 30 msec (mean: 10.5; sd: 7.98); and by stimulation of the contralateral red nucleus with a latency varying from 3 to 29 msec (mean: 14.8; sd: 8.97). We concluded that, in addition to the well recognized pathway from the contralateral dentate nucleus to the red nucleus, there are also connections between the two red nuclei and from the ipsilateral dentate to the red nucleus. © 1969.