Discussion to Dr. Walker's Speech—EXPERIENCES OF RETICULOTOMY IN EPILEPSY

　In the last 15 years, functions of the　brain stem reticular system have been　greatly elucidated by Magoun and his col—laborators．　The system is now widely　known to modulate various kinds of neuro—nal activities through its ascending and　descending projections．　Not only the neo—cortex, but the limbic system comes under　its influence．　This report concerns the　effects of lesions in the rostral brain stem　reticular formation upon the pathological　functional states of the brain, namely，　epileptic seizures and behavior disorders．

　As for the participation of the reticular　system in epileptic seizures, there are three　possibilities．　1）　The reticular system may　Act as a focus of the seizure．　There have　been no definite proof of this in our series．　2）　The reticular system may be actively in—volved in conduction of seizure discharges．　As Dr．　Walker impressively showed in his　experiments, this is also unlikely in our　experience．　Here is an example．　In this　case　（Fig．　1），　spiking is seen in the left　rolandic area　（the first trace）．　The other　leads are the upper mesencephalic reticular　formation （the second trace），　the left　putamen （the third trace）　and the left　lateral ventral nucleus of the thalamus　（the　fourth trace）．