Neuronal response produced in the human thalamic nucleus reticularis by significant and non-significant verbal and sensory stimuli

Response recorded by microelectrode techniques during the course of 46 stereotaxic operations on dyskinesia patients was investigated in the nucleus reticularis (rt) of the human thalamus. Differences were found between the multistage response of three types of rt neurons (A, B, and C) to verbal (or acousticcum-sensory) functionally significant stimuli (FSS) at both the stage of stimulus presentation and during the performance of goal-directed motion. A correlation was revealed between response in A and B cells and "excitatory" trigger stimuli, but no specificity with respect to physical or semantic parameters of verbal signals. A correlation occurred during the course of movement performance with somatosensory afferents without any specific relationship to type and somatotopic aspects of movement.