[Alteration of the slow cortical potential and neuronal activity during elaboration of conditioned reflexes in rabbits].

In experiments on alert rabbits it was shown that during the first blinking conditioned reflex to a sound, a slow negative potential appears in response to the conditioned signal in the auditory area of the cortex. At the cellular level, this correlates with the formation of polysensory neurone activity accompanied by a small increase in its action potential duration (generalization of excitation, depolarization). During stabilization of the reflex, its specialization, coordinative inhibition of other central responses related to narrowing of receptive areas, --a slow positive potential is evoked in EEG by the conditioned stimulus. At the cellular level correspondingly, a shift is observed from group discharges during intersignal periods to single rhythmic discharges in response to conditioned stimulation (concentration of excitation, lowering of excitability).