Neuronal events correlated with long-term adaptation of the horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex in the primate flocculus.
The activity of flocculus Purkinje cells was examined in Japanese monkeys during sustained vestibular-visual stimulation which caused adaptation of the horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex (H-VOR). In the floccular area related to the H-VOR by microstimulation. Purkinje cells consistently changed their simple spike responsiveness to head rotation in parallel with the adaptive H-VOR gain change. Similar changes occurred even after the H-VOR had been extinguished by lesioning of the vestibular nuclei. The complex spike discharge, on the other hand, modulated during vestibular-visual stimulation with a reciprocal pattern to the adaptive changes in the simple spike discharge. These results support the hypothesis that the flocculus adaptively modifies the H-VOR through their simple spike activity under the influence of visual climbing fiber signals.
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002525:Cerebellar Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D005133:Eye Movements; D008251:Macaca; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000502:physiology; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D014726:Vestibular Nuclei / Q000502:physiology; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000502:physiology*