Role of the nucleus geniculatus lateralis ventralis (GLv) in the optokinetic reflex: a lesion study in the pigeon

Abstract

Several functions have been proposed for the avian GLv (color vision, pupillary reflex, optomotor mechanisms). In the present paper we have examined the role of the GLv in optomotor responses. For this purpose, horizontal and vertical optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) were quantified in response to different stimulation velocities, before and after chemical (kainic acid) lesions. Unilateral lesion of the GLv produced a marked increase of the horizontal OKN gain when the eye contralateral to the lesion was stimulated in the temporonasal (T-N) direction and, to a lesser extent, when the ipsilateral eye was stimulated in the naso-temporal (N-T) direction. Biocular integration was reduced after the lesion, since the biocular stimulation corresponding to these two monocular stimulations (ipsiversive to the lesion) produced only a moderate gain increase. When stimulations were delivered in the opposite direction (contraversive to the lesion), the horizontal OKN gain was slightly increased for the N-T monocular stimulation of the eye contralateral to the lesion, but was unchanged for other stimulations. A bilateral lesion of the GLv provoked only a slight increase of the horizontal OKN gain. The vertical OKN was not affected by the GLv lesions. Thus, the GLv system is probably involved in the modulation of optomotor responses and could mediate visuo-optokinetic interactions, each nucleus (and its associated system) exerting an inhibitory (or disfacilitatory) effect on the horizontal OKN in one direction.