p. K. ANOKHIN 217 



functions in the limbic, orbital, girus cinguli and other parts of the cere- 

 bral cortex it might be assumed that the whole effector part of the condi- 

 tioned reflex, including the vegetative components is elaborated in some 

 form at the level of the cerebral cortex. 



However, the manifestation of the vegetative components durmg the 

 first fractions of a second in the action of the conditioned stimulus warrants 

 the assumption that this tirst reaction of the well-tixed conditioned 

 reflex forms at the level of the subcortical apparatus. 



With this question we closely approach the problem of localization of 

 conditioned reflex coupling. On the basis oi electroencephalographic 

 expermients Fessard, Gastaut and Yoshii reached the conclusion that the 

 coupling of the conditioned bond occurred primarily in the area of the 

 reticular formation and that only later, already as a vertical 'projection', 

 did the conditioned reflex process became cortical (Fessard and Gastaut, 

 1958; Gastaut, i95(S). The very rapid changes in the respiratory 

 component, revealed in our experiments, also seem to indicate this 

 localization of the process of coupling of conditioned bonds. This seems 

 the more probable since the brain stem reticular formation, which receives 

 along collaterals the afferent impulses from the lemniscus-conditioncd 

 excitations, contains all the fractions of the respiratory and cardiovascular 

 centres. 



Moreover, the unconditioned excitations also come to the reticular 

 formation. Thus all favourable conditions for the coupling function seem 

 to be set up in the area of the brain stem reticular formation whose neural 

 elements liave extensive possibilities for the convergence of afferent 

 excitations (Moruzzi, 1956; Amassian, 1958; Fessard, 1958). Nevertheless, 

 considering the particular role of the orientiiig-investigatory reaction in 

 the formation of the conditioned reflex, it is difficult to agree with the 

 idea of a primary subcortical coupling of the conditioned bond (Anokhin, 

 1957; Anokhin, 1958). 



The question of the composition ot the effector complex of the condi- 

 tioned reaction came particularly clearly to the fore in our experiments 

 during the studies of the conditioned motor reflex, hi this case we are 

 referring to the local motor-defensive conditioned reflex reinforced by 

 electric current and manifesting itself in lifting the hind limb. 



In our laboratory it was established long ago that this 'local' reflex, its 

 seeming simplicity and 'localness' notwithstanding, is a result of extra- 

 ordinarily complexly integrated effector excitations selectively propagated 

 to the peripheral motor apparatus according to very dehnite stages in the 

 formation of the conditioned reaction. It was found that, before the 



