524 PHYSIOLOGY CHAP. 



of the anterior part of the thalamus the peripheral visual paths- 

 (tract, chiasma, optic nerves) were found to be completely normal ; 

 but there was partial degeneration of the optic radiations of 

 Gratiolet, which run from the thalamus and external geniculate 

 body to the cortex of the occipital globe. On the other hand, in 

 the cerebrum of the dog killed a year after the bilateral destruction 

 of the pulvinar, degeneration could be seen both in the peripheral 

 and central visual paths. In the peripheral paths the internal 

 side of the tract was degenerated, and in the central there was 

 partial degeneration of the bundle of Gratiolet, which was more 

 pronounced in its lower third. None of the experiments on more 

 or less extensive unilateral or bilateral extirpation of the thalamus, 

 on the contrary, showed any such degenerations in the sensory 

 paths of the fillet, which agrees with the fact that the disturbances 

 of cutaneous and muscular sensibility observed during life were 

 transient. This tends to some extent to modify the prevailing 

 anatomical concepts of the relations of the sensory paths with the 

 thalamus, and the too extensive interpretations given to the 

 symptoms observed in Hughlings- Jackson's case. 



If the localisation of function in the several nuclei of the 

 thalami and the complex of sensory and psychical functions 

 carried out by the thalami is still uncertain, we know at least 

 from the researches of Lo Monaco, in particular that the pulvinar 

 is of great importance in vision, and also participates in the 

 functions of taste and smell. On the other hand, it would appear 

 that the sensory and motor disturbances observed in the early 

 post-operative period, specially after destruction of the anterior 

 nucleus, are simple effects of interruption of the thalamo-cortical 

 and cortico-thalamic fibres. 



There are clinical facts in favour of the view that the thalami 

 exercise an influence on the mimetic or emotional manifestations. 

 But these are inconstant phenomena, the origin of which has not 

 yet been fully cleared up. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY 



The following are among the most important of the recent works : 



GOLTZ. Beitrage zur Lehre von den Functionen der Nervenzentren des Frosches. 



Berlin, 1869. 



HUGHLINGS-JACKSON. Reprints of London Hospital Reports, 1875. 

 FERRIER. Functions of the Brain, 1876. 

 FANO. Arch, italiennes de biologie, 1883. 

 FANO. Pubbl. del R. Jstituto di Studi Sup. in Firenze, 1884. 

 FANO. La Salute. Genoa, 1885. 



CHRISTIANI. Zur Physiologic des Gehirns. Berlin, 1885. 

 STEINER. Die Functionen des Zeutralnervensystems und ihre Phylogenese. 



Brunswick, 1885-88. 



BECHTEREW. Virchow's Arch., 1887-88. 

 SCHRADER, M. Pfliiger's Archiv, 1887 and 1889. 



