The cerebellar control of accommodation of the eye in the cat

Abstract

The effect of cerebellar stimulation on the accommodation of the lens was examined in anesthetized cats. An infrared optometer was used to measure the refractive power of the lens during stimulation of the cerebellum. The area giving responses within latencies shorter than 160 msec and amplitudes larger than 0.15 diopters is localized in the contralateral interpositus and fastigial nuclei and the ipsilateral interpositus nucleus. No responses could be evoked by stimulating the bilateral lateral nuclei. Accommodation responses were also evoked by cerebellar cortex stimulation. Accommodation responses evoked by stimulating the cerebellar nuclei were inhibited by preceding cerebellar cortical stimulation.