RELATIONSHIP OF THE CONDITIONED OLFACTORY-FORELEG RESPONSE TO THE MOTOR CENTERS OF THE BRAIN

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Abstract
Transection of both fornices at exit from hippocampi caused no delay in establishment of a positive conditioned olfactory-foreleg response to cloves or a negative response to asafetida, nor any additional trials to transfer either reflex to the opposite foreleg or any interruption of these reflexes if acquired before the fornices were severed. It did not interfere with olfactory selection of a meat packet from paper packages of like size and texture. Unilateral extirpation of the sigmoidal (excitable) cortex produced no delay in learning positive clove and negative asafetida conditioned responses for the homolateral (normal) leg, but greatly delayed conditioning the contralateral (paralyzed) leg. When once established these reflexes could be transferred as rapidly from the normal to the paralyzed leg as reversely and the reflexes were fully as stable for the paralyzed leg. Bilateral extirpation of the excitable cortex prohibited acquisition of a true olfactory conditioned reflex for one leg or any conditioned differentiation between cloves and asafetida. The relationship between a so-called generalized conditioned response and certain periods of excitement which developed simultaneously in half of the dogs without motor cortex is fully considered in the discussion. The conclusion seems warranted that the integrity of the excitable area of the sigmoid cortex of one hemisphere is essential for the establishment of a constant specific olfactory conditioned response consisting of raising one foreleg to avoid an electric shock or a continuation of the reflex if acquired before the lesion. This does not exclude the thalamus as a center for a low order of olfactory conditioning.

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