A new theory for thermal influences on endolymphatic flow.
We applied thermal stimuli to the partly isolated posterior canal of the bullfrog half-head preparation. Warming or cooling stimuli to the canal side changed the activity of the semicircular nerve. Our results suggest that changes in the endolymphatic density might be responsible for convection flow in the semicircular canal as well as calorically induced nystagmus.
D000818:Animals; D002150:Caloric Tests; D004710:Endolymph / Q000502:physiology*; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D007761:Labyrinthine Fluids / Q000502:physiology*; D009760:Nystagmus, Physiologic; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology; D011892:Rana catesbeiana; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests; D014725:Vestibular Nerve / Q000502:physiology; D014893:Weightlessness