The role of the substantia nigra in cognitive activity in cats.

The role of the substantia nigra in cognitive processes of different levels of complexity was studied using an original method. Neurosurgical or neurochemical exclusion of the substantia nigra in cats led to significant impairment of conditioned reflex activity, generalization and abstraction processes; these recovered with pharmacological treatment directed to the dopaminergic system, with partial recovery after treatment directed to the GABAergic and cholinergic systems. Treatment directed to the serotoninergic system was ineffective.

[Behavioral therapy of ticks with negative reinforcement in children]. / Povedencheskaia terapiia tikov u detei s ispol'zovaniem metoda otritsatel'nogo podkrepleniia.

Thirty-two children suffering from motor and vocal ticks exhibited weakness and distonia of ticks-prone muscles were examined. Based on the results obtained earlier, a complex of physical exercises has been worked out and conducted for 20 days. The patients were divided into 3 groups: 1st (n = 10) group did the exercises daily for training the ticks-prone muscles; the 2nd one (n = 10) exercised only after tick's appearance--negative reinforcement; 3rd group (n = 12) did exercises after tick's appearance as well but on irregular basis--probable negative reinforcement. In the 1st group, the exercising resulted in muscle strengthening and decrease of tick's number. The patients of the 2nd group got rid of ticks for 20 days. The probable tick's reinforcement in children of the 3rd group did not change pathological muscle activity. The central mechanisms of cortical plasticity in behavioral therapy of ticks are discussed.

[The role of substantia nigra in the cognitive activity in cats]. / Rol' chernoi substantsii v kognitivnoi deiatel'nosti u koshek.

The role of substantia nigra (SN) in the cat cognitive activity of different complexity degree, was investigated by original technique. Neurosurgery or neurochemical SN switching off leads to reliable disturbances of condition, reflexes, generalization and abstraction. Rehabilitation was possible after pharmacological stimulation of dopaminergic, partly GABA-ergic, and cholinergic systems. Stimulation of serotonin system was ineffective.

[Comparison of cholinergic systems in Ep neocortical regions of cats with high and low cognitive ability]. / Sootnoshenie kholinergicheskikh sistem v poliakh Ep neokorteksa koshek s razvitymi i slabymi kognitivnymi sposobnostiami.

Cats were behaviorally tested for the ability to solve the abstraction and generalization tasks. Fractions of light (C) and heavy (D) synaptosomes of the associative temporal (Ep) areas were prepared, and subfractions of synaptic membranes and synaptoplasm were isolated. Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and the content of protein and protein sulphydric (SH-) groups were measured in synaptic subfractions. All the studied characteristics were lower in subfractions C of cats with higher cognitive abilities. In subfractions D, the ChAT activity was correlated neither with ChAT activity in the respective C fraction, nor with cognitive abilities of cats. It is suggested that cholinergic terminals originating from neurons of the basal magnocellular nuclei are concentrated in the C fractions, and those from the cortical cholinergic neurons are concentrated in the D fractions. Physiological significance of the "deficiency" of cholinergic inputs of the Ep areas from the basal magnocellular nuclei in animals with higher cognitive abilities is discussed.

[The importance of the caudate-temporal chain in different forms of cognitive activity in animals]. / Vklad kaudato-temporal'nogo zvena v obespechenii razlichnykh form kognitivnoi deiatel'nosti u zhivotnykh.

Destruction of associative caudato-temporal chain was shown to cause disorders in perceptive gnostic functions and thinking processes in freely behaving cats.

Neuropharmacological correction of cognitive processes disrupted by extirpation of the AI-AII and Ep fields in cats.

An original neuropsychophysiological battery of tests was used to study the possibility of neuropharmacological correction of compensatory-restorative processes in cats after extirpation of a defined zone of the temporal cortex; studies were carried out in conditions of free behavior. In a variety of activation and inhibition regimes, systemic administration of cholinergic, dopaminergic, GABAergic, and serotoninergic agents could have favorable effects on restorative mechanisms, depending on cortical psycho-organic symptoms. Each cognitive activity studied (perception, gnosis, thought) had its own specific positive neuromediator "profile" in terms of compensatory outcomes.

Synaptic proteins of the temporal associative area of the neocortex of cats (field Ep) with normal and reduced cognitive capacities.

The upper, middle, and lower subfractions of the synaptic membranes and subfractions of the total synaptoplasm were isolated from fractions of light and heavy synaptosomes of the Ep fields of the cat brain. The content of protein and protein sulfhydryl (SH-) groups was determined spectrophotometrically in the subsynaptic fractions. The maximal content of the reactive SH-groups was detected in the upper membrane subfractions; this characterizes the structure of the membranes of cholinergic synapses that are primarily concentrated in them, and the minimal content was detected in the lower subfractions, primarily noncholinergic. The brain of cats with well-developed and low capacities for the solution of problems involving generalization, gnosis, and abstraction was compared. A substantially lower content of protein in the upper and middle subfractions of the light synaptosomes and an increased reactivity of SH-groups in the membrane-bound proteins of the upper and middle subfractions of the light and heavy synaptosomes were found in animals with well-developed cognitive capacities. The hypothesis that the synaptic architectonics of the Ep fields in cats with strong cognitive capacities are distinguished by an increased relative proportion of the cholinergic structures is discussed.

Disturbances in cognitive activity and its neuropharmacological correction in structural-functional insufficiency of the head of the caudate nucleus in cats.

The participation of the head of the caudate nucleus in the organization of praxis, perception, gnosis, and "ideational operations" has been demonstrated. The broad spectrum of dysfunctions observed in the presence of caudate insufficiency was eliminated by a specific set of psychotropic preparations acting on classical neuromediator systems of the brain of cats.

Cholinergic synapses of the associative temporal area of the neocortex in the realization of cognitive functions.

The activity of choline acetyltransferase in the subsynaptic fractions of light and heavy synaptosomes of the associative temporal areas of the neocortex of cats with varying capacities for the formation of preverbal concepts was investigated. With respect to the majority of the subfractions, differences were detected between animals with normal and decreased intellect. Some theoretical conclusions were drawn relative to the origin of the individual subfractions; the role of cholinergic synapses of the area in question in the realization of the function of generalization and abstraction is discussed.

[The synaptic proteins of the temporal associative area in the neocortex (field Ep) of cats with normal and decreased cognitive capacities]. / Sinapticheskie belki visochnoi assotsiativnoi zony neokorteksa koshek (pole Ep) s normal'nymi i snizhennymi kognitivnymi sposobnostiami.

Fractions of light and heavy synaptosomes were prepared from associative temporal area of cat brain, which were previously tested behaviorally for ability to solve the generalization, gnostic and abstraction tasks. The synaptic membrane subfractions and synaptoplasma fractions were isolated and the content of the total protein and of the demasked protein sulfhydryl groups (SH groups) was investigated spectrophotometrically. The maximal content of the demasked SH groups was revealed in the upper subfractions (mainly the membranes of cholinergic synapses) and minimal content--in the lower subfractions (mainly noncholinergic synapses). Significantly smaller total protein content in the upper and middle subfractions of light synaptosomes was found, and more demasked SH groups in the membrane-bound proteins of the upper and middle subfractions of light and heavy synaptosomes was found in the cortex area of the "clever" then "silly" cats. Suggestion concerning characteristic for brains of "clever" cats relatively low total quantity of synapses in the area Ep of the cortex and significantly higher proportion of cholinergic ones is discussed.

[Disorders in cognitive activity and their neuropharmacological correction in structural-functional failure of the head of the caudate nucleus in cats]. / Rasstroistva kognitivnoi deiatel'nosti i ee neirofarmakologicheskaia korrektsiia pri strukturno-funktsional'noi nedostatochnosti golovki khvostatogo iadra u koshek.

The caudate nucleus' head was shown to take part in organisation of praxis, perception, gnosis and "thinking activity". A wide range of dysfunctions in the caudate insufficiency was abolished by a specific set of psychotropic drugs acting upon classic neurotransmitter systems of the cat brain.

[The cholinergic synapses of the associative temporal area of the neocortex in the realization of cognitive functions]. / Kholinergicheskie sinapsy assotsiativnoi visochnoi oblasti neokorteksa v realizatsii kognitivnykh funktsii.

Subsynaptic fractions from light and heavy synaptosomes of the cat temporal associative cortex were tested for choline-acetyltransferase activity in respect to ability of preverbal notion formation. Most of the fractions revealed no connection with the intellectual capacity. Involvement of the cholinergic synapses of the temporal associative cortex in functions of generalisation and abstraction, is discussed.

[The participation of the projection areas of the temporal cortex in the sensory support of certain forms of cognitive processes]. / Uchastie proektsionnykh zon visochnoi kory v sensornom obespechenii nekotorykh form kognitivnykh protsessov.

In neuropsychophysiological and biochemical experiments was studied the role of the temporal cortex of the cat (AI, AII) in mnemonic, perceptive, gnostic functions, praxis, and the higher cognitive processes. The participation of the temporal fields in the mechanisms forming the gnostic imagery activity was shown.

The neuropharmacological restoration of cognitive functions of cats following a lesion to the basal nuclei of the forebrain (Meynert's nucleus).

The functions of generalization and abstraction in an experimental model of Alzheimer's disease (the lesion of Meynert's nuclei in cats) were studied against the background of stimulation and inhibition of the cholinergic, GABAergic, and dopaminergic systems of the brain. It was demonstrated that the cholinergic system is a key system for the formation of the function of generalization, the dopaminergic system improves simple forms of learning, while the GABAergic system is actively involved in the establishment of complex types of associations.

A neuropharmacological analysis of compensatory-restorative processes in organic deficit of the parafascicular complex of the thalamus.

It has been demonstrated in freely behaving cats, on the basis of a model of the biological precursors of concrete and abstract thinking, that, in the presence of a neurosurgical lesion of various divisions of the parafascicular complex of the thalamus, the restoration of disturbed functions by neuropharmacological agents through an effect on dopamine-, choline-, and GABAergic systems is possible. There is specialization in the neurochemical pathways of the lateral and medial regions of the complex, which opens the possibility of the topical correction of psychopathology of the thalamic level.

[The neuropharmacological restoration of cognitive functions in cats after damage to the forebrain basal nuclei (Meynert's nucleus)]. / Neirofarmakologicheskoe vosstanovlenie poznovatel'nykh funktsii koshek posle porazheniia bazal'nykh iader perednego mozga (iadra Meinerta).

The cognitive functions were studied on experimental model of Alzheimer's disease (destruction of the basal nuclei of Meynert in cats) using the stimulation and inhibition of Ach, GABA, and DA brain systems. Ach system was found to be essential to form generalization function, DA system to improve simple learning, and GABA system to involve in formation of complex associations.

[A neuropharmacological analysis of the compensatory-recovery processes in organic failure of the parafascicular complex of the thalamus]. / Neirofarmakologicheskii analiz kompensatorno-vosstanovitel'nykh protsessov pri organicheskoi nedostatochnosti parafastsikuliarnogo kompleksa talamusa.

On the model of biological precursors of thinking in animals (cats), in conditions of free behaviour it has been shown that after neurosurgical lesion of various parts of the parafascicular complex restoration is possible of the disturbed functions of generalization and abstraction by neuropharmacological drugs acting on cholinergic, dopaminergic and GABA-ergic systems. Complex interactions are observed between transmitter structures.

[The significance of the thalamic parafascicular complex in tracking processes in cats]. / Znachenie parafastsirkuliarnogo kompleksa talamusa v realizatsii sledovykh protsessov u koshek.

In conditions of free behaviour, trace processes of various complexity degrees (conditioned reflexes to time, temporal prognostication and delayed behaviour) were studied in cats in norm and following electrolytic destruction of some thalamic structures. It has been shown that parafascicular nuclei of the cat thalamus take part in the control of temporal reactions characteristics, and the thalamus median centre provides for generalization function proceeding on the basis of complicated trace phenomena connected with events prognostication.