[Compensatory processes in the motor cortex of the cerebral hemispheres in partial damage to the ventrolateral thalamic nucleus in the cat].

In cats alimentary instrumental reflex was elaborated of lever transference by the right forepaw in a definite zone--prior to and after the electrolytic damage of the left ventrolateral thalamic nucleus. It was found that even a slight damage led to disturbance of precise movements mostly expressed in the first two weeks; after that gradual normalization of the motor reactions took place. At morphological study of various pyramidal neurones and also satellite and general glia in the zone of presentation of the ventrolateral nucleus in the cerebral cortex a hypertrophy was discovered of the pyramidal cells and their processes in III and V layers, accompanied by active reaction of various glia forms. Morphometric processing and statistic analysis of the obtained data showed the dominance of structural compensatory changes observed in the cortex on the side of VL damage.