title: Optokinetic response of cells in the nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontis of the pigmented rabbit.
abstract: In immobilized pigmented rabbits anesthetized with N2O (70%) and halothane (2-4%), extracellular spikes were recorded from neurons in the nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontks (NRTP) and their responses to optokinetic stimulation (OKS) were examined. OKS was delivered using constant-velocity (0.1-4.0 degrees/s) movements of a random dot pattern (60 degrees x 60 degrees) at 0 degree, 45 degrees, 90 degrees or 135 degrees to the horizon. With OKS delivered to the contralateral eye (n = 43), the preferred directions of NRTP cells were forward (F, n = 10), backward (B, n = 7), downward (D, n = 5), and the remaining cells showed no response (N, n = 21). With OKS delivered to the ipsilateral eye (n = 43), the preferred directions were F (n = 8), B (n = 8), upward (U, n = 2), D (n = 1) and N (n = 24). The majority of cells which responded to OKS (17/22 for contralateral, and 16/19 for ipsilateral OKS) preferred the horizontal orientation. The optimum velocity ranged from 0.2 to 1 degree/s. The results suggest that the NRTP cells mainly transfer horizontal optikinetic signals to the flocculus and control horizontal optokinetic eye movements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Jichi Medical School, Tochigi, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kano
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iino
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maekawa
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006257:Head; D009068:Movement; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009760:Nystagmus, Physiologic; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011817:Rabbits; D013681:Tegmentum Mesencephali / Q000502:physiology*