Target neurons of floccular caudal zone inhibition in Y-group nucleus of vestibular nuclear complex

Abstract

Extracellular unit spikes were recorded in and around the Y-group nucleus in the anesthetized cat. Target (T) neurons of floccular caudal zone inhibition were identified by observing cessation of their spontaneous discharges following stimulation of the floccular caudal zone. The axonal trajectories of the T neurons to the rostral brain stem were studied by observing the antidromic responses of single neurons during systematic tracking with a stimulating microelectrode in the brain stem. The axons of the T neurons pass through a region closely ventral to the lateral part of the brachium conjunctivum (BC), continue rostrally in a region between the BC and the lateral lemniscus, arch medially around the rostral part of the nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontis, cross the midline, continue to the contralateral side by about 1.5 mm lateral from the midline, arch rostrally, run in the central tegmental field on the contralateral side, arch dorsomedially around the caudal pole of the red nucleus, and enter the contralateral oculomotor nucleus (OMN) from the ventrolateral side. In the caudal half of the contralateral OMN, the axons of the T neurons branch out and terminate. The T neurons were exclusively located in the dorsal subdivision of the Y-group nucleus (DY), whereas some were in the medial part of the subnucleus lateralis parvocellularis (SLP, Ref. 12) of the lateral cerebellar nucleus. T neurons were not found in the ventral subdivision of the Y-group nucleus (VY). Differences in neuronal connections between the DY and VY neurons were investigated by observing responses of single neurons to stimulation of the contralateral OMN, the ipsilateral floccular caudal zone, the ipsilateral eighth nerve (i8N), and the contralateral eighth nerve (c8N). Most neurons in the DY and the adjacent medial part of the SLP, receiving inhibitory inputs from the ipsilateral flocculus (exclusively from the caudal zone), project to the contralateral OMN, and about one-half of these neurons receive polysynaptic inputs from the i8N and the c8N. On the other hand, most neurons in the VY receive monosynaptic inputs from the i8N, and some of these neurons project to the ipsilateral flocculus. The neuronal tract via the ventral part of the pontine tegmentum demonstrated in the present experiments is distinct from the classically established vestibulooculomotor tracts via the BC, the medial longitudinal fasciculus, or the ascending tract of Deiters. We call this tract the 'crossing ventral tegmental tract'. Previously, we reported that electrical stimulation of the caudal zone elicited conjugate downward eye movement.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)