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Horizontal canal input to upper cervical commissural neurons

P S Bolton¹, T Goto, V J Wilson

¹Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10021-6399.

Experimental Brain Research

|January 1, 1993

Summary

We found that upper cervical commissural neurons in cats respond to head rotation, transmitting signals from the horizontal semicircular canal (HSCC) to the spinal cord for motor control.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Vestibular System
Spinal Cord Physiology

Background:

The vestibular system, particularly the horizontal semicircular canal (HSCC), plays a crucial role in sensing head rotation.
Understanding how vestibular information is processed and transmitted within the central nervous system is essential for comprehending motor control and balance.
Commissural neurons in the upper cervical spinal cord are potential pathways for integrating vestibular input with motor output.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the response of upper cervical commissural neurons to horizontal semicircular canal stimulation.
To determine the characteristics of these neuronal responses and their correlation with head rotation velocity.
To elucidate the role of these neurons in transmitting vestibular signals to the spinal cord.

Main Methods:

Experiments were conducted on decerebrate, paralyzed cats.
Sinusoidal yaw rotation was applied to assess neuronal activity.
Neuronal responses were recorded and classified based on their modulation by the stimulus and correlation with rotation velocity.

Main Results:

Some upper cervical commissural neurons showed modulated activity in response to yaw rotation.
These neurons were identified as receiving input from the horizontal semicircular canal.
The neuronal responses were primarily Type II and well correlated with stimulus velocity.

Conclusions:

Upper cervical commissural neurons, including some propriospinal neurons, transmit horizontal semicircular canal signals.
These signals are conveyed to the contralateral ventral horn, likely targeting motoneurons.
This pathway is important for integrating vestibular information for motor control at the spinal cord level.

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