Summary
In anaesthetized rabbits, the vestibulo-ocular reflex was evoked by electric stimulation of VIIIth nerve and was observed by recording postsynaptic potentials and relevant field potentials in Illrd nucleus. The electric stimulation of flocculus produced a prominent inhibition of the vestibulo-ocular reflex in both the inhibitory component relayed by the superior vestibular nucleus and the excitatory component mediated by the brachium conjunctivum. The excitatory component mediated by the medial vestibular nucleus appeared to be free of the flocculus inhibition. The flocculus inhibition was blocked very effectively by systemic injection of picrotoxin. That the flocculus inhibitory action is due to monosynaptic postsynaptic inhibition of secondary vestibular neurones was demonstrated by direct stimulation of, and also by recording from, the superior nucleus. Recording from the superior nucleus was also performed in anaesthetized cats. All of these above results indicate that Purkinje cells in flocculus projecting to vestibular and cerebellar nuclei cells have inhibitory synaptic action. Flocculus stimulation produced also an excitatory effect upon vestibular nuclei neurones. However, this effect could be attributed to intracerebellar activation of the primary vestibular fibers which pass into the flocculus.
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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). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00236593
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00236593