[Reaction of peripheral vestibular ganglion cells on experimental stimulation in guinea pigs]

The effects of adequate stimuli upon the ganglion cells of the ganglion vestibulare and ganglion geniculi n. facialis were studied in the guinea pig labyrinth. During experimental examination, swelling up to 112% as well as shrinkage up to 35% were noticed. These volume changes do not coincide with the changes occurring in the corresponding sensory nuclei during the same stimulus. As the ganglion cells receive their impulses from various sensularies, they are responsible for several types of movement. A periodical increase and decrease of the nuclear volume are assumed to be an expression of the general total activity. The cells of the ganglion geniculi respond very strongly to these movement stimuli, which are not regarded to be adequate. Consequently it was proved that strong inadequate excitations can also influence the neighboring ganglion cells. In the cytoplasm, strong excitations lead to variations in the Nissl content. An intensive material exchange between the cytoplasm and the karyoplasm is assumed to be a cause for the changes of the nuclei volumes. But only the relation between the cell nuclei and the cell somata is altered. The volume of the whole cell remains approximately constant.