Vestibular nucleus inputs to paramedian reticulospinal neurons in the cat

Experiments were done in chloralose-anesthetized cats to identify single units in the paramedian reticular nucleus (PRN) that responded to stimulation of pressor sites in the vestibular nucleus complex (VNC) and that projected directly to the intermediate gray (IG) region of the upper thoracic cord. Forty-seven units responded orthodromically to stimulation of the ipsilateral VNC with a mean latency of 6.3 +/- 0.6 ms: 44 were excited and 3 were inhibited. Of these 47 units, 29 (62%) also were antidromically activated by stimulation of the ipsilateral IG at the level of T2. These data provide electrophysiological evidence for the existence of neurons in PRN that receive VNC inputs and project directly to spinal autonomic areas, and suggest that this pathway may be involved in mediating vestibulosympathetic reflex responses associated with postural adjustments.