Changes in sensitivity of vestibular nucleus neurons induced by cross-axis adaptation of the vestibulo-ocular reflex in the cat.
In alert, chronically-prepared cats, we studied response characteristics of well-isolated vestibular nucleus neurons (n = 9) while pairing yaw rotation with a pitch optokinetic stimulus, resulting in cross-axis adaptation of the horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex. Each neuron's sensitivity to whole body rotation in a variety of axes in three-dimensional space was determined. When tested in darkness following adaptation, neurons showed statistically significant increases in sensitivity to yaw but not vertical plane rotations, suggesting participation in reflex plasticity.
Quinn
K J
KJ
Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
Helminski
J O
JO
Didier
A J
AJ
Baker
J F
JF
Peterson
B W
BW
D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D003623:Dark Adaptation / Q000502:physiology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012023:Reflex, Monosynaptic / Q000502:physiology; D012027:Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D012399:Rotation; D014726:Vestibular Nuclei / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*