Influence of standing on vestibular neuronal activity in awake cats

Single-unit activity of vestibular nuclear neurons was recorded in chronically prepared, awake cats. To examine the influence of tonic activation of limb proprioception on vestibular function, the vestibular modulation by horizontal rotation (0.2 Hz, 17 deg) and head-tilt (0.1 Hz, 7 deg) was recorded in animals with freely hanging limbs and was compared with the modulation in standing cats. Of 29 examined cells responding to horizontal rotation, only about 30% were affected during standing, with most exhibiting a decrease of the mean discharge rate and gain. In contrast, about 70% of the 28 tilt-modulated cells showed pronounced effects during standing with a decrease of the gain and an increase of the mean discharge rate. The increase of the mean discharge rate in tilt cells may be caused by the excitatory spinovestibular afferent fibers or by the efferent vestibular system. For the observed inhibitory effects on the gain different mechanisms may be responsible: cerebellar inhibition and/or efferent vestibular receptor control. This control of labyrinthine information by somatosensory afferent fibers may serve for the stability of equilibrium in the moving animal.