The relationship between neurons of the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) and relay neurons of the thalamic nuclei was studied. Activation of the TRN neurons was shown to abate activity of relay neurons. This evidence was obtained by stimulation of the TRN and the neocortex and, by introduction of small doses of nembutal as well. Suppression of the relay neuronal activity by the TRN neurons is supposed to occur monosynaptically. It has been also revealed that neuronal activity of the TRN enhances in a clonic phase of seizures generated by stimulation of the hippocampus and as soon as the electroencephalographic seizure reactions disappear. The suppression of limbic motor seizures is obviously related to the process of potentiation in GABAergic synapses of thalamocortical networks. Thus, stimulation of the TRN appears to be a rather valuable methodical tool that can open up prospects in the development of new “anticonvulsive” strategies in the treated of temporal lobe epilepsy.
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