[Role of the reticular formation in regulating movement. Several intrareticular mechanisms and functional properties of the reticulospinal system].

The aim of this work was to obtain further information about some mechanisms of participation of the reticular formation and its descending reticulo-spinal systems in the regulation of the motor functions of the spinal cord. Following questions were studied: membrane characteristics of the reticulospinal neurons with slow and rapid axonal conduction and peculiarities of monosynaptic control influences on these groups of reticulospinal neurons from the motor cortex; characteristics of population responses of the reticular formation with respect to its ability to discriminative sensory and motor functions; reactions of the reticular formation neurons correlated with learned movements. Data obtained evidence that the reticular formation can be involved in control of specialized motor actions. Functional significance of the specific properties of the reticular formation as well as further prospects of exploration of its functional organization are discussed.