[Neuronal mechanisms of reticulocortical activation].

In alert rabbits extra- and intracellular neuronal responses were recorded in the sensorimotor and visual cortical areas to short high-frequency stimulations of the mesencephalic reticular formation of near-threshold intensity for emergence of evoked potentials and ECoG depression. It was found that reticulo-cortical responses were of a complex character and consisted in both excitatory and inhibitory as well as of "phasic" (evoked by the stimulus proper) and "tonic" (modulation) components.