Arrest Reaction in Man: Motor Arrest Response by Electrical Stimulation of the Deep Structure of the Cerebrum

Abstract

spite of many reports of arrest reaction in animals, there are very few reports in man . During a therapeutic stereotactic operation we observed peculiar phenomena caused by electrical stimulation to the deep struture of the cerebrum.The electrical stimulation caused an interruption of counting and other motor actions, which could be resumed following release of stimuli.In almost all cases psychic confusion or memory disturbances were not observed. The head of the caudate nucleus and its adjacent white matter caused arrest reaction with the lowest threshold of 5 V; on the other hand, substantia medullaris lobi frontalis, radiatio corporis callosi and nucl. reticularis oralis of the thalamus caused arrest reaction with the highest threshold of 10-15 V. The arrest reaction that we observed is thought to be due to a direct effect on the head of the caudate nucleus, not due to secondary effects on the internal capsule and the motor fiber in the vicinity of the caudate nucleus.However, the possibility that the current spread to the motor fiber cannot be definitely ruled out. arrest reaction; caudate nucleus; stereotactic operation In a therapeutic stereotactic operation for involuntary movement or intractable pain, the stimulated portion is identified by the measurement of the electrode and ventricular landmarks by roentgenogram, the changes in electroencephalo graphy and evoked potential and the findings of neurological and psychic responses. During a therapeutic stereotactic operation in a patient in 1971, electrical stimulation through an electrode inserted into the brain induced abrupt but temporary arrest of voluntary motor activity. Since then, this peculiar phenomenon, which we refer to as arrest reaction, has been investigated (Kwak et al. 1973(Kwak et al. , 1974a(Kwak et al. , b, 1975.There have been numerous reports on arrest reaction (Mettler et al.

Striatal Mechanisms Underlying Movement, Reinforcement, and Punishment

“…The most widely cited effects of striatal microstimulation across multiple species of animal are contralateral head turning or circling (10, 24, 32, 35, 38, 59, 77, 96, 106, 123, 131, 140, 201) and contraversive limb movements (7, 24, 28, 32, 59, 106). However, a number of investigators have also reported suppression, arrest, or freezing of movement during striatal stimulation, as well as a general slowing of motor behavior following striatal stimulation (38, 95, 97, 105, 131). Finally, electrophysiological recordings have shown that individual striatal neurons respond during multiple phases of movement, with some neurons responding to the initiation of movements, others responding during holding or waiting periods, and still others responding near the termination of movements (5, 34, 37, 60, 74–76, 92, 94, 108, 109, 129, 157–160, 168, 169, 172).…”