Summary
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1.
A new description of vestibulo-ocular responses to angular velocity steps has been used to quantify vestibular compensation in right hemilabyrinthectomized cats. The amplitudes (VM and CM) and the times of occurrence (tM and to) from stimulus onset of the peaks of slow phase eye velocity and slow cumulative eye position were computed for velocity steps directed towards the lesioned side (clockwise, CW) and towards the intact side (counterclockwise, CCW). In addition, the values of these parameters were corrected from the effects of spontaneous nystagmus, when present.
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2.
In animals recovering in normal laboratory conditions, spontaneous nystagmus disappeared within 10 days after operation. In CCW responses, vm decreased by about 45% during the first 3 days and then remained stationary during the next 2 weeks. In CW responses VM showed a rapid increase during the first 3 days, and then remained stationary. After 2 weeks, VM increased in both CW and CCW responses. CM changes substantially reproduced those of VM.
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3.
In animals put in the dark immediately after operation, spontaneous nystagmus persisted until re-exposure to light (up to 31 days) and then disappeared rapidly. VM in both CW and CCW responses remained at a low value during the dark period and became more or less doubled after one week of exposure to light. CM also increased rapidly in CW and CCW responses, after re-exposure to light.
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4.
In the discussion these results are compared with those concerning activity of single vestibular neurons during compensation. It is concluded that vision is a primary factor conditioning disinhibition of vestibular nuclei spontaneous activity after the critical phase of compensation.
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Work supported by CNR (Italy) grant n. 75.00961.07, and Progetto Finalizzato TBM, Subject SENS 1 and by INSERM (France)
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Courjon, J.H., Jeannerod, M., Ossuzio, I. et al. The role of vision in compensation of vestibulo ocular reflex after hemilabyrinthectomy in the cat. Exp Brain Res 28, 235–248 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00235706
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00235706