[Reactions of neostriatal neurons to direct electric stimulation of the optic tract and to photic stimulation in the alert cat].

Responses of 98 cells in the head and body of caudate nucleus to direct electric stimulation of the optic tract and to visual stimuli were recorded extracellularly in awake chronic cats. 34.6 and 36.2% of the studied cells, respectively, have responded to these types of stimulation. Long-latency (over 40 ms for optic tract and over 80 ms for visual stimulations) excitatory responses prevailed in both cases. Small number of units responded to optic tract stimulation with short (5-14 ms) latencies. Eight of 58 tested cells were activated by both electric and visual stimuli. In this case, responses of the same cells could differ (relatively to the type of applied stimulus) either in pattern or sign. These data are discussed relative to the possible pathways for transfer of the visual information to non-specific brain structures.