Four convergent patterns of input from the six semicircular canals to motoneurons of different neck muscles in the upper cervical cord.
This study was performed to investigate the pattern of input and the pathways from the six semicircular canals to motoneurons of various neck muscles in anesthetized cats. Intracellular postsynaptic potentials from neck motoneurons were recorded in response to electrical stimulation of the six ampullary nerves. The results showed that motoneurons of a particular neck muscle have a homogeneous convergent pattern of input from the six semicircular canals; there are four patterns of input from the six semicircular canals to motoneurons of various neck muscles; and the trisynaptic connection between the semicircular canal nerves and neck motoneurons was identified in addition to the disynaptic connection.
Shinoda
Y
Y
Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan. yshinoda.phyl@med.tmd.ac.jp
Sugiuchi
Y
Y
Futami
T
T
Kakei
S
S
Izawa
Y
Y
Na
J
J
D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D007395:Interneurons / Q000502:physiology; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009132:Muscles / Q000294:innervation; D009333:Neck / Q000294:innervation*; D012665:Semicircular Canals / Q000294:innervation* / Q000502:physiology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology