Summary
The vestibular nuclei of cats were explored extracellularly with micropipettes to locate units with a resting discharge rate which responded to rotation in the horizontal plane. These units were examined for somatosensory input from neck and limbs. Fewer than half responded to somatosensory stimulation. The neck region was the body area most effective in influencing unitary activity. The response pattern most often noted was an increase and decrease in discharge frequency when the body was moved towards and away from the recording electrode respectively. Change in discharge rate was observed to be primarily dependant upon neck velocity and not upon absolute neck position. Half of the somato-sensory units received input from either the forelimbs or the hindlimbs, while the remaining half responded to both.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allen, G. I., Sabah, N. H., Toyama, K.: Effect of fore- and hindlimb nerve stimulation on Deiter's neurones. Brain Res.25, 645–650 (1971)
Berman, A. L.: The brain stem of the cat. A cytoarchitectonic atlas with stereotaxic coordinates. Madison, Wisc.: Univ. of Wisconsin Press 1968
Bizzi, E., Kalil, R. E., Morasso, P.: Two modes of active eye-head coordination in monkeys. Brain Res.40, 45–48 (1972)
Brodal, A., Pompeiano, O.: The vestibular nuclei in the cat. J. Anat. (Lond.)91, 438–454 (1957)
Brodal, A., Pompeiano, O., Walberg, F.: The vestibular nuclei and their connections. Anatomy and functional correlations. Edinburgh-London: Oliver and Boyd 1962
ten Bruggencate, G. T., Lundberg, A.: Facilitatory interaction in transmission to motoneurones from vestibulospinal fibres and contralateral primary afferents. Exp. Brain Res.19, 248–270 (1974)
ten Bruggencate, G. T., Teichmann, R., Weller, E.: Neuronal activity in the lateral vestibular nucleus of the cat. IV. Postsynaptic potentials evoked by stimulation of peripheral somatic nerves. Pflügers Arch.360, 302–320 (1975)
Cohen, B., Suzuki, I.: Eye movements induced by ampullary nerve stimulation. Am. J. Physiol.204, 341–351 (1963)
Dichgans, J., Bizzi, E., Morasso, P., Tagliasco, V.: Mechanisms underlying recovery of eyd-head coordination following bilateral labyrinthectomy in monkeys. Brain Res.18, 548–562 (1973)
Duensing, F., Schaefer, K. P.: Die Aktivität einzelner Neurone im Bereich der Vestibulariskerne bei Horizontalbeschleunigungen unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des vestibulären Nystagmus. Arch. Psychiat. Nervenkr.198, 225–252 (1958)
Ehrhardt, K. G., Wagner, A.: Labyrinthine and neck reflexes recorded from spinal single motorneurons in the cat. Brain Res.19, 87–104 (1070)
Ewald, R.: Physiologische Untersuchungen über das Endorgan des Nervus Oktavus. Wiesbaden: Bergmann 1892
Fernandez, C., Goldberg, J.: Physiology of peripheral neurons innervating semicircular canals of the squirrel monkey. II. Response to sinusoidal stimulation and dynamics of peripheral vestibular system. J. Neurophysiol.34, 661–675 (1971)
Fredrickson, J. M., Schwarz, D. W. F., Kornhuber, H. H.: Convergence and interaction of vestibular and deep somatic afferents upon neurons in the vestibular nuclei of the cat. Acta Otolaryngol.61, 168–188 (1966)
Gresty, M. A.: A reexamination of “neck reflexes” eye movements in the rabbit. Acta Otolaryngol. (Stockh.)81, 386–394 (1976)
Grillner, S., Hongo, T., Lund, S.: Descending monsynaptic and reflex control of gamma-motorneurones. Acta Physiol. Scand.75, 592–613 (1969)
Grillner, S., Hongo, T., Lund, S.: The vestibulospinal tract. Effects on alpha-motoneurones in the lumbosacral spinal cord in the cat. Exp. Brain Res.10, 94–120 (1970)
Grillner, S., Hongo, T.: Vestibulospinal effects on motoneurones and interneurones in the lumbosacral cord. In: Basic aspects of central vestibular mechanisms (A. Brodal and O. Pompeiano, eds.), pp. 243–262. Amsterdam: Elsevier 1972
Hassen, A. H., Barnes, C. D.: Bilateral effects of vestibular nerve stimulation on activity in the lumbar spinal cord. Brain Res90, 221–233 (1975)
Hikosaka, O., Maeda, M.: Cervical effects on abducens motoneurons and their interaction with vestibuloocular reflex. Exp. Brain Res.18, 512–530 (1973)
Kim, J. H., Partridge, L. D.: Observations on types of response to combinations of neck, vestibular and muscle stretch signals. J. Neurophysiol.32, 239–250 (1969)
de Kleyn, A., Magnus, R.: Tonische Labyrinthreflexe auf die Augenmuskeln. Pflügers Arch. ges. Physiol.178, 179–192 (1920)
Kornhuber, H. H., Aschoff, J. C.: Somatisch-vestibuläre Integration an Neuronen des Motorischen Cortex. Naturwissenschaften51, 62–63 (1964)
Liedgren, S. R. C., Milne, A. C., Rubin, A. M., Schwarz, D. W. F., Tomlinson, R. D.: Representation of vestibular afferents in somatosensory thalamic nuclei of the squirrel monkey (Saimiri Sciureus). J. Neurophysiol.39, 601–612 (1976)
Lund, S., Pompeiano, O.: Monosynaptic excitation of alpha motoneurones from supraspinal structures in the cat. Acta Physiol. Scand.73, 1–21 (1968)
Magherini, P. C., Pompeiano, O., Seguin, J. J.: Responses of nucleus Z neurons to yibration of hindlimb extensor muscles in the decerebrate cat. Arch. Ital. Biol.113, 150–187 (1975)
Magnus, R.: Körperstellung. Berlin: Springer 1924
McCough, G. P., Deering, I. D., Ling, T. H.: Location of receptors for tonic neck reflexes. J. Neurophysiol.14, 191–195 (1951)
Meiry, J. L.: Vestibular and proprioceptive stabilization of eye movements. In: The control of eye movements (P. Bachy-Rita and C. C. Collins, ed.). New York: Academic Press 1971
Melville-Jones, G., Milsum, J. H.: Frequency response analysis of central vestibular unit activity resulting from rotational stimulation of the semicircular canals. J. Physiol. (Lond.)219, 191–215 (1971)
Ödkvist, L. M., Liedgren, S. R. C., Larsby, B., Jerlwall, L.: Vestibular and somatosensory inflow to the vestibular projection area in the post cruciate dimple region of the cat cerebral cortex. Exp. Brain Res.22, 185–196 (1975)
Pompeiano, O., Barnes, C. D.: Effect of sinusoidal muscle stretch on neurons in medial and descending vestibular nuclei. J. Neurophysiol.34, 725–734 (1971)
Schwarz, D. W. F., Fredrickson, J. M.: Rhesus monkey vestibular cortex. A bimodal primary projection field. Science172, 280–281 (1971)
Schwarz, D. W. F., Rubin, A. M., Tomlinson, R. D., Milne, A. C., Fredrickson, J. M.: Studies on the integrative activity of the vestibular nuclei complex. Can. J. Otolaryng.4, 378–382 (1975)
Shapovalov, A. I.: Posttetanic potentiation of monosynaptic and disynaptic actions from supraspinal structures on lumbar motoneurones. J. Neurophysiol.32, 948–959 (1969)
Takemori, S., Suzuki, J.: Influence of necktorsion on otolithogenic eye deviation in the rabbit. Ann. Otol. (St. Louis)78, 640–647 (1969)
Thoden, U., Wirbitzky, J.: Influence of passive neck movements on eyeposition and brain stem neurones. Pflügers Arch.362, R37 (1976)
Wilson, V. J.: Vestibular and somatic inputs to cells of the lateral and medial vestibular nuclei of the cat. In: fifth symposium on the role of the vestibular organs in space exploration. NASASP-187, 145–158 (1970)
Wilson, V. J.: Vestibular influences on alpha motoneurons in the cervical and thoracic cord. Progr. Brain Res.37, 233–242 (1972)
Wilson, V. J., Kato, M., Thomas, R. C., Peterson, B. W.: Excitation of lateral vestibular neurons by peripheral afferent fibers. J. Neurophysiol.29, 508–529 (1966)
Wilson, V. J., Wylie, R. M., Marco, L. A.: Organization of the medial vestibular nucleus. Synaptic inputs to cells in the medial vestibular nucleus. J. Neurophysiol.31, 166–185 (1968)
Zierau, H., Schaefer, K. P., Süss, K. J.: Eye-head coordination in rabbits. Microrecordings in different brain structures. Pflügers Arch.362, R37 (1976)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rubin, A.M., Liedgren, S.R.C., Milne, A.C. et al. Vestibular and somatosensory interaction in the cat vestibular nuclei. Pflugers Arch. 371, 155–160 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00580784
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00580784