title: Anatomy and surgical approach of rat's vestibular sensors and nerves.
abstract: The rat is one of the most used species in the neurosciences, but how to selectively reach each of its 5 vestibular sensors has never been described. Besides, new functions of the vestibular system have been recently discovered in the rat involving vegetative, circadian and cognitive functions. But the central pathways sustaining these functions and the role of each of the vestibular sensors are not clear.
  
  
  
  Here we want to describe the anatomy and look for a direct surgical approach to the 5 vestibular sensors in rats, as an indispensable technique to further study the central vestibular pathways. To do so we studied 10 rats either by microtomography with osmium tetroxide staining, histology with hematoxilyn-eosine staining or microsurgical dissection.
  
  
  
  The microtomography allows a 3D representation of the 5 vestibular sensors and their nerves, with precise landmarks confirmed by the histological analysis. Each of the landmarks are illustrated and a selective surgical approach to each sensor and their nerves, is described step by step.
  
  
  
  Selective approaches to the vestibular sensors have been used in other species such as cats, monkeys and recently humans but the current study is the first allowing this technique in rats.
  
  
  
  Each vestibular sensor of the rat can be reached by a selective surgical approach. This allows further techniques such as electrophysiology or neurotracing of the central vestibular pathways. This also indicates the rat as a potential model for vestibular prostheses.
authors.affiliation: U 1075 COMETE, INSERM, Caen, 14032, France; Department of Anatomy, UNICAEN, Caen, 14032, France; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, CHU de Caen, Caen, F-14000, France; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medical Sciences and Brain Health Research Center, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Electronic address: mart1_hit@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hitier
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medical Sciences and Brain Health Research Center, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; Department of Otolaryngology, University of Tokushima School of Medicine, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Go
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medical Sciences and Brain Health Research Center, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Yan-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medical Sciences and Brain Health Research Center, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Yiwen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: U 1075 COMETE, INSERM, Caen, 14032, France.
authors.forename: Stephane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Besnard
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medical Sciences and Brain Health Research Center, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Paul F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Ian S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Curthoys
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014725:Vestibular Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery*; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Ampulla; Anatomy; Macula; Microtomography; Rat; Vestibular organ