Potentiation of secondary evoked responses during deep barbiturate sleep

Experiments were performed on cats in deep barbiturate sleep. The effects of direct reticular stimulation and of an indirect one elicited by rhythmic photic stimulation were studied on cortical response evoked by stimulating the sciatic nerve. It was found that reticular stimulation enhances the secondary response of the anterior marginal gyrus and depresses that occurring at the anterior sigmoid gyrus. Statistical computation revealed the significance of this phenomenon. Certain mechanisms, possibly explaining the phenomenon, are discussed.