Operant control of precentral neurons in monkeys: Evidence against open loop control

Four normal monkeys were operantly conditioned to change the firing pattern of 111 precentral neurons from phasic to tonic using an operant paradigm which quantifies the control of single neurons. Two monkeys then had their contralateral pyramidal tract (PT) sectioned and one monkey had C5-7 ventral rhizotomies. Postlesion data were: (1) contralateral C1-2PT lesions did not encumber the monkeys' control of precentral PTNs: (2) contralateral C5-7 ventral rhizotomies completely abolished accurate control of precentral neurons which received proprioceptive feedback from flaccid arm regions. These results indicate that precentral neurons are operantly controlled through proprioceptive feedback from peripheral mechanoreceptors. The output of the mechanoreceptors is probably dependent upon discrete joint angles and/or muscle tension which is maintained through non-PT pathways. These data do not support the concept that precentral neurons are operantly controlled directly from a central; 'open loop', pathway.

[1]  A. Wyler Discrimination between epileptic and injury-induced repetitive firing in chronic epileptic cortex , 1977, Experimental Neurology.

[2]  E. Fetz,et al.  Firing patterns of epileptic and normal neurons in the chronic alumina focus in undrugged monkeys during different behavioral states , 1975, Brain Research.

[3]  J. S. Thomas,et al.  Operant conditioning of firing patterns in monkey cortical neurons , 1977, Experimental Neurology.

[4]  James L Olds Operant conditioning of single unit responses. , 1965 .

[5]  E. Fetz,et al.  Operantly conditioned patterns on precentral unit activity and correlated responses in adjacent cells and contralateral muscles. , 1973, Journal of neurophysiology.

[6]  R. Porter,et al.  Afferent input to movement-related precentral neurones in conscious monkeys , 1976, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B. Biological Sciences.

[7]  A. Wyler,et al.  Operant conditioning of tonic neuronal firing rates from single units in monkey motor cortex , 1976, Brain Research.

[8]  E E Fetz,et al.  Behavioral control of firing patterns of normal and abnormal neurons in chronic epileptic cortex. , 1974, Experimental neurology.

[9]  Kim J. Burchiel,et al.  Factors influencing accuracy of operant control of pyramidal tract neurons in monkey , 1978, Brain Research.

[10]  Kim J. Burchiel,et al.  Operant control of pyramidal tract neurons: The role of spinal dorsal columns , 1978, Brain Research.

[11]  A. Wyler,et al.  Epileptic and normal neurons in monkey neocortex: A quantitative study of degree of operant control , 1978, Brain Research.

[12]  R. Porter,et al.  Relationship between the activity of precentral neurones during active and passive movements in conscious monkeys , 1976, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B. Biological Sciences.

[13]  E. Fetz Operant Conditioning of Cortical Unit Activity , 1969, Science.

[14]  A. Wyler,et al.  Operant conditioning of tonic firing patterns from precentral neurons in monkey neocortex , 1978, Brain Research.

[15]  E. Fetz,et al.  Operant conditioning of isolated activity in specific muscles and precentral cells. , 1972, Brain research.

[16]  E. Fetz,et al.  Operant Conditioning of Specific Patterns of Neural and Muscular Activity , 1971, Science.

[17]  E E Fetz,et al.  Operantly conditioned firing patterns of epileptic neurons in the monkey motor cortex. , 1973, Experimental neurology.

[18]  A. Wyler,et al.  Chronic Epileptic Foci in Monkeys: Correlation Between Seizure Frequency and Proportion of Pacemaker Epileptic Neurons , 1978, Epilepsia.