Stimulation of the thalamus and its effect on electrographic manifestations of the brain in unrestrained rats.

The thalamus was electrically stimulated in unrestrained rats with implanted cortical and subcortical electrodes. Single pulses often triggered rhythmic cortical activity identical with the 8--9/sec spike episodes which occur spontaneously in rats in the walking state. In rhythmic stimulation of the thalamus, self-sustained 3/sec spike-wave paroxysmal activity, with partial clonic jerks, was observed. Specific and non-specific thalamic nuclei participated in the production of these activities.