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Biomedical subjects

W Precht

Publications and source records attributed to W Precht.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1979

Mechanisms of compensation for vestibular deficits in the frog. II. Modification of the inhibitory Pathways.

In hemilabyrinthectomized frogs inhibitory responses of central vestibular neurons to electrical stimulation of the remaining vestibular nerve were recorded extra- and intracellularly at different stages (0, 3, and 60 days) after the operation. In acute animals inhibition of vestibular neurons following stimulation of the VIIIth nerve is rarely observed. In chronic animals about 30% of the vestibular neurons on the partially deafferented side and about 15% of the vestibular neurons on the intact side are inhibited. The distribution of the latencies of these inhibitory responses is bimodal with ranges from 4 to 14 ms and 18 to 24 ms. Removal of the cerebellum reduced the number of inhibited vistibular neurons and picrotoxin abolished all inhibitory responses. The vestibular input to the cerebellar dorsal rim is bilateral. In chornic animals excitation of Purkinje cells was similar as in acute preparations but many more cells were disfacilitated. Inhibition of partially deafferented vestibular neurons by cerebellar and brain stem neurons increases in parallel with their excitatory commissural input. The balance between these plastic changes may be crucial for the functional recovery of appropriate compensatory reflexes.

Afferent Pathways↗
PubMed1979

Timing of bilateral cerebellar output evoked by unilateral vestibular stimulation in the frog.

Electrical stimulation of one VIIIth nerve evoked simple spike activity in Purkinje cells located on either side of the cerebellum. This cellebullar output was delayed by ca. 10 ms with respect to its mossy fiber-parallel fiber input. The onset of the cerebellar output occurs on the average simultaneously on either side of the corpus cerebelli. The delay is explained by slowly rising EPSPs in PC induced by primary afferent and by second and higher order vestibular fibers. The latter inputs are stronger and terminate ipsi- and contralaterally in the granular layer.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1979

Effects of cerebellectomy on the cat's vertical vestibuloocular reflex.

The effects of cerebellectomy on the semicircular canal evoked responses recorded from individual vertical and oblique eye muscles were studied in cats anesthetized with Ketamine. The phase lag relative angular acceleration of the electromyographic response was consistently smaller over the frequency range tested (0.02--1.0 Hz) in cerebellectomized than in intact animals. This finding indicates that the time constant of the central, neural integrator was shifted towards smaller values by the lesion. This was also suggested when the vertical eye movements generated by rotation about the pitch axis were recorded in the fully alert animal. In addition, the EOG data show that the phase of the VOR in the low frequency range was not altered following cerebellectomy suggesting that the macular influences were still present. When the EMG responses of the superior oblique (SO) and superior rectus (SR) muscles were studied in their presumed main mode, i.e. roll-canal and pitch-canal, respectively, no difference was noted in hemicerebellectomized animals when compared to intact control animals. However, when SO and SR were studied in pitch-canal and roll-canal rotation, respectively, dramatic changes in the response pattern were noted in lesioned animals.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Functional deficits in the optokinetic system of albino rats.

Vestibular nuclear neurons of the horizontal canal system (Vn) of albino rats (Wistar) failed to respond to optokinetic stimulation. Similarly, optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) could not be elicited in these animals. Brown (DA--HAN) rats, however, consistently showed optokinetic responses of Vn and OKN to identical stimuli.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Vestibular mechanisms.

It is apparent from this and other reviews of the subject that our knowledge of vestibular function is most complete for the primary canal and otolithic afferents. Relatively little progress has been made in the understanding of receptor mechanisms and the functional importance of the efferent vestibular system. Since most of it has been summarized previously the latter were not considered here. Considerably more knowledge has accumulated in the field of central vestibular mechanisms, particularly those related to eye movements. Recent advances in functional synaptology of direct and indirect vestibuloocular pathways are described. It appears that the indirect pathways are essential for the central integration of the peripheral head velocity into a central eye position signal. Candidates for the neural integrator are presented and discussed and their connectivity described both for the horizontal and the relatively poorly studied vertical eye movement system. This field will certainly be studied extensively during the next years. Another interesting field is the role of the cerebellum in the control the vestibuloocular reflex. Recent data and hypotheses, including the problem of cerebellar plasticity, are summarized and evaluated. That the vestibular nuclei are by no means a simple relay system for specific vestibular signals destined for other sensory or motor centers is evidenced in this review by the description of multiple canal-canal, canalotolith, and visual-vestibular convergence at the nuclear level. Canal-otolith and polysensory convergence in vestibular neurons enables them to correct for the inherent inadequacies of the peripheral canal system in the low frequency range. The mechanisms of polysensory interaction in the central vestibular system will undoubtedly be an important and interesting field for future research.

Abducens Nerve↗
PubMed1978

Response characteristics of semicircular canal and otolith systems in cat. I. Dynamic responses of primary vestibular fibers.

1. The activity of cat semicircular canal and otolith afferents was studied during yaw and roll rotations, respectively, to examine their dynamic behavior. 2. A sinusoidal analysis of the canal afferent activities showed that their dynamic characteristics are similar to those of second order vestibular neurons, except for a two to three-fold lower absolute gain. This agrees with earlier studies using angular acceleration steps. 3. Both divisions of the eighth nerve were sampled so as to examine afferents from both the utriculus and sacculus. Within the range of inputs used (+/- 25 degrees lateral tilt), the presumed sacular afferents (inferior division) showed either a gamma- or beta-response. However, the gain of their response was generally much less than for the afferents of the superior division (mostly utricular). This behavior is to be expected on the basis of receptor orientations and the components of gravity acting upon the macular receptors. 4. In response to ramp changes in angular position, some otolith units showed a phasic-tonic response pattern, i.e., an overshoot followed by an adaptation to a new steady state level of activity. The majority of units showed predominantly tonic responses proportional to displacement. 5. During sinusoidal rotations the predominantly tonic units showed small phase leads of 0 to 15 degrees at 0.025 Hz which remained constant or decreased to 0 to -15 degrees at 1.0 Hz. The gains were flat or increased by up to 2 fold. The phasic-tonic units showed greater phase leads, 10 to 50 degrees, and gains which increased from 2 to 8 fold. 6. This behavior of otolith afferents suggests that they can provide information about both the magnitude and the rate of change of linear acceleration stimuli.

Acoustic Maculae↗
PubMed1978

Response characteristics of semicircular canal and otolith systems in cat. II. Responses of trochlear motoneurons.

1. The electrical activity of single trochlear motoneurons (TMns) and axons of second order vestibular neurons presumably terminating on these motoneurons were studied during natural stimulation of semicircular canals and otolith organs in cats anesthetized with Ketamine. 2. Null point analysis showed that TMns received an excitatory canal input from the contralateral posterior canal, and labyrinthine lesion experiments suggested that the functionally synergistic, ipsilateral anterior canal provides an inhibitory input. A small number of motoneurons showed orthogonal canal convergence. 3. In addition to the canal projections most TMns received an otolithic input. Firing rate was proportional to lateral head tilt and was of the beta type. Most units also responded to pitch with an increase and decrease in firing rate on nose-up and nose-down positioning, respectively. Lesion experiments indicated that the otolith responses are the results of reciprocal innervation of TMns by contralateral (excitatory) and ipsilateral (inhibitory) otolith projections. 4. During sinusoidal rotation in yaw (canal only stimulation) the mean phase lag re acceleration of the response of TMns increased from 60 degrees at 0.025 Hz to 126 degrees at 1.0 Hz. In roll (canal plus otolith stimulation) the phase lag of TMn responses measured 180 degrees and 130 degrees at 0.025 and 1.0 Hz, respectively. Phase-lags measured in Vi and Vc axons were less by ca. 15 degrees. 5. The otolith contribution to TMn responses in roll was calculated by vectorial subtraction of the yaw from the roll responses: A phase lag of 10 (0.025 Hz) to 90 degrees (0.5 Hz) re. displacement was noted and gain was constant over the same range. Similar lag dynamics were revealed in TMns when studied during ramp displacement of the head. 6. The possible functional role of central canal-otolith convergence and the differences between the response of primary vestibular afferents and secondary vestibular neurons and TMns will be discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Connections of behaviorally identified cat omnipause neurons.

The afferent and efferent connections of omnipause neurons involved in saccadic eye movements were studied electrophysiologically in ketamine anesthetized cats. Omnipause neurons were identified by their characteristic discharge pattern which was qualitatively unaltered by ketamine anesthesia.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1978

A mechanism for type III vestibular responses of frog cerebellar Purkinje cells.

Type III Purkinje cells (P-cells), which are excited with both directions of horizontal rotation, are found in high numbers in the frog auricular lobe and adjacent cerebellar areas. To examine the mechanisms underlying these responses, recordings were made from P-cells in curarized animals during rotational stimulation of the horizontal canals. The horizontal canal input to these cells was then modified unilaterally by VIIth nerve section, intraperilymphatic injection of local anesthetic, or by caloric stimulation. Control recordings were also obtained from peripheral canal neurons. Type III responses were abolished by unilateral lesions or reversible blockage of the VIIIth nerve with local anesthetic. The remaining responses were attributable only to the unaffected horizontal canal, ie. only type II or type I responses were observed upon interruption of the ipsi-or contralateral nerve, respectively. The level of spontaneous activity of cerebellar input fibers was low and during rotation produced 'cell silencing' response waveform asymmetries (facilitation greater than disfacilitation). When the level of peripheral resting activity was increased (warm water irrigation), thereby increasing horizontal canal response symmetry, type III responses were reduced in magnitude or abolished. Conversely, cold water irrigation, which decreases the resting rate and response symmetry of input fibers, enhanced type III response magnitudes. On the basis of these results, it is suggested that type III responses result from the fact that single P-cells receive a facilitatory input from both horizontal canals. Since these inputs are 180 degrees phase-reversed and their response waveforms asymmetrical, their resulting postsynaptic effect is a net excitation during both portions of the stimulus cycle.

Action Potentials↗