Input of Anterior and Posterior Semicircular Canal Interneurons Encoding Head-Velocity to the Dorsal Y Group of the Vestibular Nuclei

Abstract

Neurons in the Y group of the vestibular nuclei are activated disynaptically from the ipsilateral VIIIth nerve and polysynaptically from the contralateral nerve. The ipsilateral anterior and posterior semicircular canals project to the Y group via interneurons in the vestibular nuclei. Candidate interneurons located in the rostrolateral corner of the superior (SVN) and in the caudal medial (MVN) vestibular nuclei were retrogradely labeled by the iontophoretic injection of biocytin into the Y group. The physiology of these interneurons named Y-group projecting neurons (YPNs) was studied in the SVN. SVN-YPNs were activated antidromically by electric pulse stimulation in the Y group. The properties of SVN-YPNs are distinct from those of SVN flocculus projecting neurons (FPNs). Namely, YPNs have a lower resting rate than FPNs, have more irregular interspike intervals, show a different phase and gain during the vestibuloocular reflex, and are located differentially within the SVN. After the injection of biocytin into the Y group, the locations of Purkinje cells that project to the Y group were confined to the vertical zones of the flocculus and ventral paraflocculus. However, mossy fibers originating in the Y group terminate in both the vertical and horizontal zones of the flocculus and ventral paraflocculus as well as in the ipsilateral nodulus.