[Effect of food motivation on the impulse activity of neurons of the somatic cortex of the cat].

Spike reactions of the same somatic cortex neurons (areas 3 and 4) were analyzed during unconditioned stimulation. They were registered in the untrained hungry cats under conditions of rest and with food motivation. A decrease of the intensity of initial spike reactions, disappearance of the late neuronal responses following electro-cutaneous stimulation as well as changes in the level of the background activity were observed during emergence of food motivation. Resemblance and correlation between time of appearance of neuronal reactions and respected movements during conditioned stimulation under various levels of food motivational excitation were shown. This correlation depended on the level of the animal satiation. The results show the possibility of considerable influence of food motivation on the patterns of spike reactions in the somatic cortex neurons.