Summary
The purpose of this work was to precisely delineate the vestibular projection area in the cat's cortex and to trace electrophysiologically its afferent pathways at thalamic and mesencephalic levels. On anaesthetized animals, macropotentials evoked by electrical stimulation of the ampullar nerve from the horizontal semi-circular canal were recorded at three levels: on the cortex, the vestibular zone is restricted to the lower lip of the suprasylvian gyrus; in the thalamus, our results demonstrate the vestibular character of the magnocellular part of the medial geniculate body; at the mesencephalic level, our recordings indicate the existence of an ascending vestibular pathway situated laterally and ventrally with respect to the medial longitudinal bundle.
The discussion focuses on two main points: 1. the precise cortical projection area of the horizontal ampullar nerve in relation to cytoarchitectonic areas and its possible functional role in motor programming. 2. the thalamic relays of the vestibulo-cortical pathway with regard to the hypothesis of two parallel input channels.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abraham, L., Blum, P., Gilman, S.: Multimodal responses of cells in the medial geniculate body of the cat. Neurosciences 1, 220 (1975)
Andersson, S., Gernandt, B.E.: Cortical projection of vestibular nerve in cat. Acta oto-laryng. (Stockh.) Suppl. 116, 10–18 (1954)
Boisacq-Schepens, N., Hanus, M.: Motor cortex vestibular responses in the chloralosed cat. Exp. Brain Res. 14, 539–549 (1972)
Carreras, M., Andersson, S.A.: Functional properties of neurons of the anterior ectosylvian gyrus of the cat. J. Neurophysiol. 26, 100–126 (1963)
Deecke, L., Schwarz, D.W.F., Frederickson, J.M.: Nucleus ventroposterior inferior (VPI) as the vestibular thalamic relay in the rhesus monkey. I-Field potential investigation. Exp. Brain Res. 20, 88–100 (1974)
Frederickson, J.M., Schwarz, D., Kornhuber, H.H.: Convergence and interaction of vestibular and deep somatic afferents upon neurons in the vestibular nuclei of the cat. Acta oto-laryng. (Stockh.) 61, 168–187 (1966)
Hassler, R., Muhs-Clement, K.: Architektonischer Aufbau des sensomotorischen und parietalen Cortex der Katze. J. Hirnforsch. 6, 377–420 (1964)
Heath, C.J., Jones, E.G.: An experimental study of ascending connections from the posterior group of thalamic nuclei in the cat. J. comp. Neurol. 141, 397–426 (1971)
Landgren, S., Silfvenius, H., Wolsk, D.: Vestibular, cochlear and trigeminal projections to the cortex in the anterior suprasylvian sulcus of the cat. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 191, 561–573 (1967)
Lenzi, G.L., Pompeiano, O., Satoh, T.: Input-output relation of the vestibular system during sleep and wakefulness. Pflügers Arch. ges. Physiol. 299, 326–333 (1968)
Lenzi, G.L., Pompeiano, O., Satoh, T.: Transmission of labyrinthine volleys through the vestibular nuclei during sleep. Arch. ital. Biol., 107, 19–42 (1969)
Liedgren, S.R.C., Milne, A.C., Rubin, A.M., Schwarz, D.W.F., Tomlinson, R.D.: Representation of vestibular afferents in somato-sensory thalamic nuclei of the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus). J. Neurophysiol. 39, 601–612 (1976)
Mickle, W.A., Ades, H.W.: A composite sensory projection area in the cerebral cortex of the cat. Amer. J. Physiol. 170, 682–689 (1952)
Mickle, W.A., Ades, H.W.: Rostral projection pathway of the vestibular system. Amer. J. Physiol. 176, 243–246 (1954)
Mills, K.R., Taylor, A.: The projection of the vestibular nerve to the cerebral cortex in the cat. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 239, 165–178 (1974)
Mountcastle, V.B., Lynch, J.C., Georgepoulos, A., Sakata, H., Acuna, C.: Posterior parietal association cortex on the monkey: command functions for operations within extrapersonal space. J. Neurophysiol. 38, 871–908 (1975)
Ödkvist, L.M., Liedgren, S.R.S., Larsby, B., Jerlvall, L.: Vestibular and somatosensory inflow to the vestibular projection area in the postcruciate dimple region of the cat cerebral cortex. Exp. Brain Res. 22, 185–196 (1975)
Potegal, M., Copack, P., De Jong, J.M.B.V., Krauthamer, G., Gilman, S.: Vestibular input to the caudate nucleus. Exp. Neurol. 32, 448–465 (1971)
Raymond, J., Dememes, D., Marty, R.: Voies et projections vestibulaires ascendantes émanant des noyaux primaires: étude radioautographique. Brain Res. 111, 1–12 (1976)
Roucoux-Hanus, M., Boisacq-Schepens, N.: Projections vestibulaires au niveau des aires corticales suprasylvienne et postcruciée chez le chat anesthésié au chloralose. Arch. ital. Biol. 112, 60–76 (1974)
Sans, A., Raymond, J., Marty, R.: Réponses thalamiques et corticales á la stimulation électrique du nerf vestibulaire chez le chat. Exp. Brain Res. 10, 265–275 (1970)
Sans, A., Raymond, J., Marty, R.: A vestibulo-thalamic pathway: electrophysiological demonstration in the cat by localized cooling. J. Neurosci. Res. 2, 167–174 (1976)
Schwarz, D.W.F., Frederickson, J.M.: Rhesus monkey vestibular cortex: a bimodal primary projection field. Science 172, 280–281 (1971)
Schwarz, D.W.F., Frederickson, J.M.: The clinical significance of vestibular projection to the parietal lobe; a review. Canad. J. Oto-Laryngol. 3, 381–392 (1974)
Schwarz, D.W.F., Deecke, L., Frederickson, J.M.: Cortical projection of group I muscle afferents to areas 2, 3a and the vestibular field in the rhesus monkey. Exp. Brain Res. 17, 516–526 (1973)
Spiegel, E.A., Szekely, E.G., Gildenberg, P.L.: Vestibular responses in midbrain, thalamus and basal ganglia. Arch. Neurol. 12, 258–269 (1965)
Walzl, E.M., Mountcastle, V.B.: Projection of vestibular nerve to cerebral cortex of the cat. Amer. J. Physiol. 159, 595 (1949)
Wepsic, J.G.: Multimodal sensory activation of cells in the magno-cellular medial geniculate nucleus. Exp. Neurol. 15, 299–318 (1966)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Roucoux-Hanus, M., Boisacq-Schepens, N. Ascending vestibular projections: Further results at cortical and thalamic levels in the cat. Exp Brain Res 29, 283–292 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00237048
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00237048