Summary
-
1.
The responses of Purkinje cells and presumed mossy fibers to natural stimulation of the horizontal semicircular canals were recorded in the nodulus and uvula of rabbit vestibulocerebellum. Units responding to vestibular stimulation were also studied with visual stimulation.
-
2.
The responses of presumed mossy fibers were of the Type I and Type II varieties and were characterized by a low threshold for angular acceleration and high sensitivity.
-
3.
Purkinje cell responses were divided into two groups: Thefirst group showed only modulation of simple spike activity during rotation. According to the directionality of their responses to rotation, Purkinje cells of the first group could be further subdivided into Types I, II or III; Type II was the most frequently encountered. Thesecond group showed modulation of both simple spike and climbing fiber activity. The simple spike response most frequently encountered was of Type II while the climbing fiber activity in the same Purkinje cells responded in the Type I mode. In another population of Purkinje cells of this group, simple spike activity was modulated by rotation in one direction only. All Purkinje cell responses had relatively high thresholds and low sensitivities.
-
4.
Some Purkinje cells responding to rotation showed direction-selective modulation of climbing fiber discharge in response to slowly moving visual patterns.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baker, R., Precht, W., Llinás, R.: Cerebellar modulatory action on the vestibulo-trochlear pathway in the cat. Exp. Brain Res.15, 364–385 (1972)
Bloedel, J. R., Roberts, W. J.: Action of climbing fibers in cerebellar cortex of the cat. J. Neurophysiol.34, 17–31 (1971)
Brodal, A., Hoivik, B.: Site and mode of termination of primary vestibulocerebellar fibres in the cat. An experimental study with silver impregnation methods. Arch. ital. Biol.102, 1–21 (1964)
Brodal, A., Torvik, A.: Über den Ursprung der sekundären vestibulocerebellaren Fasern bei der Katze. Eine experimentell-anatomische Studie. Arch. Psychiat. Nervenkr.195, 550–567 (1957)
Carpenter, M. B., Brittin, G. M., Pines, J.: Isolated lesions of the fastigial nuclei in the cat. J. comp. Neurol.109, 65–89 (1958)
Eccles, J. C., Llinás, R., Sasaki, K.: The excitatory synaptic action of climbing fibres on the Purkinje cells of the cerebellum. J. Physiol. (Lond.)182, 268–296 (1966)
Ferin, M., Grigorian, R. A., Strata, P.: Mossy and climbing fiber activation in cat cerebellum by stimulation of labyrinth. Exp. Brain Res.12, 1–17 (1971)
Fukuda, J., Highstein, S. M., Ito, M.: Cerebellar inhibitory control of the vestibulo-ocular reflex investigated in rabbit IIIrd nucleus. Exp. Brain Res.14, 511–526 (1972)
Ghelarducci, B., Ito, M., Yagi, N.: Impulse discharges from flocculus Purkinje cells of alert rabbits during visual stimulation combined with horizontal head rotation. Brain Res.87, 66–72 (1975)
Ito, M., Nisimaru, N., Yamamoto, M.: Specific neural connections for the cerebellar control of vestibulo-ocular reflexes. Brain Res.60, 238–243 (1973)
Jansen, J., Brodal, A.: Aspects of Cerebellar Anatomy. Oslo: Johan Grundt Tanum 1954
Lisberger, S. G., Fuchs, A. F.: Response of flocculus Purkinje cells to adequate vestibular stimulation in the alert monkey: fixation vs. compensatory eye movements. Brain Res.69, 347–353 (1974)
Llinás, R., Precht, W., Clarke, M.: Cerebellar Purkinje cell responses to physiological stimulation of the vestibular system in the frog. Exp. Brain Res.13, 408–431 (1971)
Maekawa, K., Simpson, J. I.: Climbing fiber responses evoked in vestibulo-cerebellum of rabbit from visual system. J. Neurophysiol.36, 649–666 (1973)
Maekawa, K., Takeda, T.: Mossy fiber responses evoked in the cerebellar flocculus of rabbits by stimulation of the optic pathway. Brain Res.98, 590–595 (1975)
Martinez, F. E., Crill, W. E., Kennedy, T. T.: Electrogenesis of cerebellar Purkinje cell responses in cats. J. Neurophysiol.34, 384–356 (1971)
Miles, F. A., Fuller, J. H.: Visual tracking and primate flocculus. Science189, 1000–1002 (1975)
Precht, W., Llinás, R.: Functional organization of the vestibular afferents to the cerebellar cortex of frog and cat. Exp. Brain Res.9, 30–52 (1969a)
Precht, W., Llinás, R.: Comparative aspects of the vestibular input to the cerebellum. In: Neurobiology of cerebellar evolution and development, (R. Llinás, ed.), pp. 677–702. Chicago: Am. Med. Assoc. 1969b
Precht, W., Llinás, R., Clarke, M.: Physiological responses of frog vestibular fibers to horizontal angular rotation. Exp. Brain Res.13, 378–407 (1971)
Precht, W., Volkind, R., Maeda, M., Giretti, M. L.: The effects of stimulating the cerebellar nodulus in the cat on the responses of vestibular neurons. Neuroscience1, 301–312 (1976)
Shinoda, Y., Yoshida, K.: Neural pathways from the vestibular labyrinths to the flocculus in the cat. Exp. Brain Res.22, 97–111 (1975)
Shimazu, H., Precht, W.: Tonic and kinetic responses of cat's vestibular neurons to horizontal angular acceleration. J. Neurophysiol.28, 991–1013 (1965)
Simpson, J. I., Alley, K. E.: Visual climbing fiber input to rabbit vestibulo-cerebellum: a source of direction-specific information. Brain Res.82, 302–308 (1974)
Simpson, J. I., Precht, W., Llinás, R.: Sensory separation in climbing and mossy fiber inputs to cat vestibulocerebellum. Pflügers Arch.351, 183–193 (1974)
Takemori, S., Cohen, B.: Loss of visual suppression of vestibular nystagmus after flocculus lesions. Brain Res.72, 213–224 (1974)
Thomas, R. C., Wilson, V. J.: Precise location of Renshaw cells with a new marking technique. Nature (Lond.)206, 211–213 (1965)
Walberg, F., Pompeiano, O., Brodal, A., Jansen, J.: The fastigiovestibular projection in the cat. An experimental study with silver impregnation methods. J. comp. Neurol.118, 49–76 (1962a)
Walberg, F., Pompeiano, O., Westrum, L. E., Hauglie-Hanssen, E.: Fastigioreticular fibers in the cat. An experimental study with silver methods. J. comp. Neurol.119, 187–200 (1962b)
Wilson, V. J., Maeda, M., Franck, J. I.: Input from neck afferents to the cat flocculus. Brain Res.89, 123–128 (1975a)
Wilson, V. J., Maeda, M., Franck, J. I.: Inhibitory interaction between labyrinthine, visual and neck inputs to the cat flocculus. Brain Res.96, 357–360 (1975b)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Precht, W., Simpson, J.I. & Llinás, R. Responses of Purkinje cells in rabbit nodulus and uvula to natural vestibular and visual stimuli. Pflugers Arch. 367, 1–6 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00583649
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00583649