M. V. L. BENNETT
484
systems. This correlation helps to validate morphological identification
of electrical transmission in other systems where electrophysiological
analysis is not so simple.
It is not known whether there is any relevance to higher systems
of the organizational principles deduced from electric organ systems.
The next level of analysis of the electric organ systems may be no
easier than study of less specialized systems that are of more general
interest. Some knowledge is being obtained of afferent pathways from
electroreceptors in weakly electric fish (see Chapter 11, this volume)
which have important inputs to the electric organ control system. Both
operant and respondent conditioning of the control system can be
obtained and conditioned response latency can be very short. It is not
unreasonable that the complete neural pathway of the conditioned
response could be obtained in these cases. The central connections are
minimally explored; one knows what goes in and one can go from the
electric organ several synapses antidromically. The rewards for filling
in the gap could be great, and prospects for at least some progress
are bright.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Some of the hitherto unpublished work was carried out in the laboratory of
Neurophysiology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, with the
support of Dr. H. Grundfest. Work on the Rio Negro expedition of the R. V. AlphaHelix was in collaboration with A. B. Steinbach and allowed considerable advance
in understanding of the sternarchids. The author is greatly indebted to Dr. T. H.
Bullock for his assistance in that remote place. Supported in parts by grants from the
National Institutes of Health (5PO1 NB 07512 and HD-04248) and the National
Science Foundation ( GB-6880).
REFERENCES
Adrian, R. H., Chandler, W. K., and Hodgkin, A. L. (1970). Slow changes in potassium permeability in skeletal muscle. 1. Physiol. (London) 208, 645-668.
Albe-Fessard, D. (1950a). Les caractkres de la dhcharge des poissons 6lectriques.
Arch. Sci. Physiol. 4, 299-334.
Albe-Fessard, D. ( 1950b). Proprikks hlectriques passives du tissue klectrogkne des
poissons Alectriques. Arch. Sci. Physiol. 4, 413434.
Albe-Fessard, D. ( 1951 ). Modification de l'activith des organes Alectriques par
des courants de l'origine exterieure. Arch. Sci. Physiol. 5, 43-73.
Albe-Fessard, D., and Buser, P. ( 1954). Analyse microphysiologique de la transmission rkflexe au niveau du lobe klectrique de la torpille (Torpedo nmmorata).
1. Physiol. (Paris) 46, 923-946.
484
systems. This correlation helps to validate morphological identification
of electrical transmission in other systems where electrophysiological
analysis is not so simple.
It is not known whether there is any relevance to higher systems
of the organizational principles deduced from electric organ systems.
The next level of analysis of the electric organ systems may be no
easier than study of less specialized systems that are of more general
interest. Some knowledge is being obtained of afferent pathways from
electroreceptors in weakly electric fish (see Chapter 11, this volume)
which have important inputs to the electric organ control system. Both
operant and respondent conditioning of the control system can be
obtained and conditioned response latency can be very short. It is not
unreasonable that the complete neural pathway of the conditioned
response could be obtained in these cases. The central connections are
minimally explored; one knows what goes in and one can go from the
electric organ several synapses antidromically. The rewards for filling
in the gap could be great, and prospects for at least some progress
are bright.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Some of the hitherto unpublished work was carried out in the laboratory of
Neurophysiology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, with the
support of Dr. H. Grundfest. Work on the Rio Negro expedition of the R. V. AlphaHelix was in collaboration with A. B. Steinbach and allowed considerable advance
in understanding of the sternarchids. The author is greatly indebted to Dr. T. H.
Bullock for his assistance in that remote place. Supported in parts by grants from the
National Institutes of Health (5PO1 NB 07512 and HD-04248) and the National
Science Foundation ( GB-6880).
REFERENCES
Adrian, R. H., Chandler, W. K., and Hodgkin, A. L. (1970). Slow changes in potassium permeability in skeletal muscle. 1. Physiol. (London) 208, 645-668.
Albe-Fessard, D. (1950a). Les caractkres de la dhcharge des poissons 6lectriques.
Arch. Sci. Physiol. 4, 299-334.
Albe-Fessard, D. ( 1950b). Proprikks hlectriques passives du tissue klectrogkne des
poissons Alectriques. Arch. Sci. Physiol. 4, 413434.
Albe-Fessard, D. ( 1951 ). Modification de l'activith des organes Alectriques par
des courants de l'origine exterieure. Arch. Sci. Physiol. 5, 43-73.
Albe-Fessard, D., and Buser, P. ( 1954). Analyse microphysiologique de la transmission rkflexe au niveau du lobe klectrique de la torpille (Torpedo nmmorata).
1. Physiol. (Paris) 46, 923-946.