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Effects of unilateral and bilateral pyramidotomy on a conditioned rapid precision grip in monkeys (Macaca fascicularis)

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Summary

Two monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) were trained to perform fast conditioned fingergrip on a small transducer. When performance was stabilized to the shortest possible reaction time, the pyramidal tract was transected on one side in one monkey, bilaterally in another. Retraining was resumed 1–3 weeks after surgery. Response latency as well as electromyographic latency and summation time were measured before and up to several months after pyramidotomy.

The data show that pyramidotomy induced a long-lasting slowing in the performance of the fingergrip. This slowing was due mainly to a delay in the execution of the movement. However, a short-lasting significant delay of the onset of the EMG activity preceding the movement shows that not only the execution but also the initiation contributes to the increase of the mean response latency. The deficits were more severe and of longer duration in the monkey with bilateral pyramidotomy, especially the delay in the onset of the EMG activity. The mechanisms underlying these deficits and the role of the pyramidal tract in rapid movements are discussed, specifically in consideration of the possible function of the ipsilateral pyramidal tract.

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Author notes

  1. E. Trouche

    Present address: Département de Neurophysiologie Gén, I.N.P. — C.N.R.S., 31, Chemin Joseph Aiguier, F — 13, Marseille, Cedex, France

  2. M. Wiesendanger

    Present address: Department of Physiology, Health Sciences Centre, University of Western Ontario, N6A 3K7, London, Ontario, Canada

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Brain Research, University of Zürich, Switzerland

    M. -C. Hepp-Reymond, E. Trouche & M. Wiesendanger

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  1. M. -C. Hepp-Reymond
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  2. E. Trouche
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  3. M. Wiesendanger
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Hepp-Reymond, M.C., Trouche, E. & Wiesendanger, M. Effects of unilateral and bilateral pyramidotomy on a conditioned rapid precision grip in monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). Exp Brain Res 21, 519–527 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00237170

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00237170

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