CELLULAR PHYSIOLOGY OF VESTIBULAR REFLEXES

这个项目研究信号转换的细胞基础， 发生在前庭反射中。对前庭眼反射的研究 揭示了反射增益的短期和长期倍增变化。 从功能上考虑， 前庭反射该项目的主要目的是 了解并量化所涉及的基本细胞机制 在使用体外小鼠脑切片的这种反射调制中， 准备.我们将研究电生理学和药理学 前庭传入前庭内侧核的特性 (MVN)这些切片中的神经元专注于动力学行为 离子型谷氨酸受体（NMDA和AMPA），它们是 突触电流引起的重复（生理）激活 前庭传入神经这些研究将采用全细胞 突触电流的记录，以及 单个和宏观谷氨酸受体介导的电流。然后我们将 研究这种神经元传入对前庭神经元的调制， 核神经元的小脑投射，检查细胞 GABA能小脑传入神经塑造反应的机制 前庭反射中间神经元对前庭传入信息的反应。 神经解剖标记技术将用于揭示 神经元的投影，我们可以将数据 传入激活和小脑调制的特异性， 前庭眼反射和前庭脊髓反射。获得的数据 本研究的实验部分将用于生成模型， 前庭信号处理的最新进展这将提供关键。 深入了解这些信号转换的神经基质， 前庭反射了解这些反射是很重要的，因为 它们对保持清晰的视野和稳定的姿势至关重要 需要进行许多日常生活活动。

This project examines the cellular basis of signal transformations that occur in vestibular reflexes. Studies of the vestibuloocular reflex have revealed short and long-term multiplicative changes in reflex gain. Functional considerations suggest similar changes should occur in the vestibulocollic reflex. The principal aim of this project is to understand and quantitate the fundamental cellular mechanisms involved in such reflex modulations using an in vitro mouse brain slice preparation. We will study the electrophysiological and pharmacological properties of vestibular afferent input to medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) neurons in these slices. focusing on the kinetic behavior of the ionotrophic glutamate receptors (NMDA and AMPA) which underlie the synaptic currents elicited by repetitive (physiologic) activation of vestibular afferents. These studies will employ both whole-cell recordings of the synaptic currents, and excised patch recordings of single and macroscopic glutamate receptor-mediated currents. We will then study the modulation of this glutamatergic afferent input to vestibular nucleus neurons by cerebellar projections, examining the cellular mechanisms by which GABAergic cerebellar afferents sculpt the response of vestibular reflex interneurons to vestibular afferent inputs. Neuroanatomical labeling techniques will be used to reveal the projections of neurons that are studied so that we can relate our data to afferent activation and cerebellar modulation of speciflt- vestibuloocular and vestibulospinal reflexes. Data obtained from experimental portions of this study will then be used to generate models of vestibular signal processing in the MVN. which will provide key. insights into the neuronal substrates of signal transformations in these vestibular reflexes. Understanding of these reflexes is important since they are essential to maintain the clear vision and stable posture required to carry out many activities of daily living.