Reciprocal responses to tilt of neurones within both fore- and hindlimb regions of Deiters' nucleus

Abstract

In decerebrate cats with cerebellum intact the frequency response of 102 neurons located within the lateral vestibular nucleus (LVN) to sinusoidal stimulation of vestibular receptors was analyzed. Positional sensitive units, showing a reciprocal pattern of response to lateral tilting, characterized by an excitation during ipsilateral and a depression during contralateral tilt, were equally found in the rostroventral (forelimb) and dorsocaudal (hindlimb) divisions of the LVN. No unit was found to be excited during both ipsilateral and contralateral tilts. A comparison between these findings and those reported in cerebellectomized preparations indicates that the reciprocal pattern of response to tilt of neurons, particularly located in the hindlimb region of the LVN, depends upon the anatomical integrity of the cerebellum.