STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF VESTIBULOCOLLIC NEURONS

前庭大肠、前庭眼球和前庭神经的结构和功能 成年松鼠大肠前庭-眼-结肠(VOC)神经元的研究 明确它们在前庭控制颈眼协调中的作用 与凝视有关。这些神经元，特别是VOC细胞， 表示眼睛与头部和颈部之间的可能界面。 直接的目标是了解信息内容，相对于头部 运动，由初级前庭传入提供给这些次级 神经元。具体地说，使用电生理范例(27)和 短潜伏期突触输入生物细胞素体内标记 具有不同反应的非规则和规则传入的概况 动力学到头部加速，到神经元参与的不同 麻醉和麻痹患者前庭传递通路的测定 猴子。参与脊髓反射通路的前庭神经元 进一步通过识别磁头旋转的轴线，即。 影响细胞和轴内标记的半规管 用生物细胞素来分解他们确切的脑干和椎管内侧支 树枝。供应选定颈部肌肉的运动神经元池是 逆行标记以指明这些肌肉的颈部组织 并评价前庭神经元对内源性神经元的作用。 和控制特定反射和动力的非本征脊髓回路 头部运动的调节。最后，在训练有素、警觉的猴子中 不同类别的前庭神经元由正畸和 正弦波头的逆行刺激及其放电研究 旋转来确定头部运动动力学从传入的转移 转到牢房。这些细胞的进一步特征是通过识别它们的眼睛 自发扫描、追踪跟踪期间的运动相关信号 视动诱导的眼球运动。初步数据显示，出人意料地， 前庭脊髓神经元受到不同的意志和心理影响 反射引起的眼球运动。因为它们不同的传入输入， 侧枝和凝视信号，假设 前庭细胞参与不同的颈眼手术 协调和凝视控制。这些研究的长期目标是 了解前庭和颈部本体感觉的确切作用 人类实现最终凝视定向的系统，以及 临床实践中常见的影响颈眼协调的疾病 耳鼻喉科及相关服务。

The structure and function of vestibulo-collic, vestibulo-ocular, and vestibulo-ocular-collic (VOC) neurons are studied in adult squirrel monkeys to specify their roles in the vestibular control of neck-eye coordination in relation to gaze. These neurons, and particularly the VOC cells, represent the possible interfaces between the eyes and the head and neck. The immediate aim is to understand the information content, vis-a-vis head movement, supplied by primary vestibular afferents to these secondary neurons. Specifically, using an electrophysiological paradigm (27) and intrasomatic labeling with biocytin, the short-latency synaptic input profile of irregular and regular afferents, which have distinct response dynamics to head acceleration, to neurons participating in the different vestibular relay pathways is determined in the anesthetized and paralyzed monkey. The vestibular neurons contributing to the spinal reflex pathways are further characterized by identifying the axis of head rotation, viz. the semicircular canal, that influences the cell and intra-axonally labeled with biocytin to resolve their exact brainstem and intraspinal collateral arborizations. The motoneuronal pools supplying selected neck muscles are retrogradely labeled to specify the cervical organization of these muscle groups, and to evaluate the contribution of vestibular neurons to intrinsic and extrinsic spinal circuits controlling specific reflex and dynamic regulation of head movement. Finally, in the trained, alert monkey the diverse classes of vestibular neurons are identified by ortho- and antidromic stimulation, and their discharge studied during sinusoidal head rotation to determine the transfer of head movement dynamics from afferent to cell. The cells are further characterized by identifying their eye movement-related signals during spontaneous scanning, pursuit tracking, and optokinetic-induced eye movements. Preliminary data show, unexpectedly, that vestibulospinal neurons are differentially affected by volitional and reflex-induced eye movements. Because of their differential afferent input, collateral arborizations and gaze signals, it is hypothesized that the vestibular cells participate in dissimilar operations of neck-eye coordination and gaze control. The long-term goal of these studies is to understand the precise role of the vestibular and neck proprioceptive systems in the achievement of final gaze orientation in man, and the disorders affecting neck-eye coordination seen in the clinical practices of Otolaryngology and related services.