[The spatial organization of the vestibulospinal neurons in the guinea pig]

Abstract

Quantitative investigation of the spatial organization of vestibulospinal neurons has been performed on a guinea pig using the horseradish peroxidase retrograde transport method. After unilateral injection in the upper cervical and low thoracic spinal cord the labelled neurons were found unilaterally in the lateral vestibular nucleus and bilaterally in descending and medial vestibular nuclei. Distribution of vestibulospinal neurons within the brainstem has been analyzed. It was revealed that projections of some neurons of medial and descending vestibular nuclei coincided with spinal projections of cortical and rubral descending pathways. Functional significance of the vestibulospinal system in the supraspinal motor control was discussed.