[Responses of neurons of the medial group of thalamic nuclei to stimulation of the fronto-basal portions of the neocortex].

Neuronal and focal responses of medial thalamic nuclei (mediodorsal, central lateral, parecentral, centrum medianum, parafascicular) to stimulation of frontobasal cerebral cortex (proreal, posterior orbital, basal temporal regions) were studied in acute experiments on cats narcotized by nembutal mixed with chloralose. Proceeding from the data on the number of neurons responding to cortical stimulation and on the duration of the response latent period, three functionally heterogeneous sections of medial nuclei were distinguished: the microcellular and magnocellular regions of the mediodorsal nucleus, and the intralaminar nuclei with the parafascicular complex. Neurons were recorded which could be activated antidromically during stimulation of another region. On this basis a suggestion is made on the integrating function of medial nuclei providing unification of the frontobasal regions of the neocortex.