Nonsynaptic effect of the electrocorticogram of the intact hemisphere on unit activity of the neuronally isolated cortex.

The nonsynaptic influence of the electrocorticogram (ECoG) of the visual area of the intact hemisphere on unit activity in the visual area and Clare-Bishop area of the isolated cortex in darkness and during diffuse illumination of the retina was investigated in acute experiments on cats immobilized with diplacin, and with the cortex of one hemisphere neuronally isolated. Changes in unit activity of tonic character were found in darkness and both tonic and phasic responses of isolated cortical units in the visual area and Clare-Bishop area were found during diffuse photic stimulation. The possibility of using the nonsynaptic influence of the ECoG of the intact brain to stimulate different regions of the neuronally isolated cortex is examined.