[The synaptic responses of the neurons in the medulla oblongata to stimulation of the stepping stria of the spinal cord in the cat].

Synaptic responses of bulbar neurons to stimulation of stepping points in the dorsolateral funiculus were recorded in decerebrate cats. 40% of neurons were excited from both ipsi- and contralateral stepping points, the rest of them were excited only from one of those points. Part of the neurons was activated from stepping points at both C2 and Th12 spinal cord levels. Latencies of the synaptic responses to stimulation of the stepping point at the cervical level were from 2 to 18 ms. These results suggest that bulbar neurons as well as propriospinal ones contribute to initiation of locomotion.