Ipsilateral and contralateral projections from upper cervical segments to the vestibular nuclei in the rat

The present study examined uncrossed and crossed projections from upper cervical segments to the vestibular nuclei, and the relationship between the afferents and vestibulospinal neurons in the rat. Afferent axons were labeled following unilateral injections of biotinylated dextran into the C2 and C3 segments, while vestibulospinal neurons were labeled following unilateral injections of cholera toxin subunit B into the same segments. The terminals of uncrossed afferents were distributed in the entire area of the rostrocaudal extent of the lateral vestibular nucleus (LV). In the magnocellular part (MVmc) of the medial vestibular nucleus (MV), they were seen near the parvocellular part (MVpc) of the MV at caudal levels. In the MVpc, terminals were seen laterally and ventromedially, close to the border of the MVmc. At caudal levels of the caudal part (MVc) of the MV, they were distributed within the groups of labeled neurons in the middle and lateral areas. In the descending vestibular nucleus (DV), terminals were abundant dorsally and laterally in the rostral two-thirds. The distribution of contralateral cervical afferents was similar to that of ipsilateral afferents. The terminals of ipsilateral and contralateral cervical afferents were seen in contact with vestibulospinal neurons in the DV. The present study demonstrates bilateral input from upper cervical segments to the LV, DV, and all subdivisions of the MV. The input to the LV would contribute to the tonic neck reflex or cervicovestibulospinal reflex.