Summary
The vestibular nuclei of adult cat were injected with retrogradely transported tracers, WGA-HRP or fluorescent Diamidino-Yellow. Labelled cells were found in the caudal half of the ipsilateral mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus, in the area where ganglionic cells of the sensory receptors in the extraocular muscles have previously been described. Double labelling experiments were carried out with Diamidino Yellow injected in vestibular nuclei and Fast Blue in extraocular muscles. Some cells in the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus were found to contain both tracers, providing evidence that vestibular neurons do receive direct afferent signals from extraocular muscles. Therefore, this anatomical demonstration suggests a direct feed-back control between the extraocular muscle receptors and the vestibular nuclei.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allum JHJ, Graf W (1977) Time constants of vestibular nuclei in the goldfish: a model with ocular proprioception. Biol Cybern 28:95–99
Alvarado-Mallart MR, Batini C, Buisseret-Delmas C, Corvisier J (1975) Trigeminal representations of the masticatory and extraocular proprioceptors as revealed by horseradish peroxidase retrograde transport. Exp Brain Res 23:167–179
Alvarado-Mallart RM, Batini C, Buisseret C, Gueritaud JP, Horcholle-Bossavit G (1975) Mesencephalic projections of the rectus lateralis muscle afferents in the cat. Arch Ital Biol 113:1–20
Ashton JA, Boddy A, Donaldson IML (1984) Input from proprioceptors in the extrinsic ocular muscles to the vestibular nuclei in the giant toad. Exp Brain Res 53:409–419
Ashton JA, Boddy A, Dean SR, Milleret C, Donaldson IML (1988) Afferent signals from cat extraocular muscles in the medial vestibular nucleus: the nucleus praepositus hypoglossi and adjacent brainstem structures. Neuroscience 26:131–145
Ashton JA, Milleret C, Donaldson IML (1989) Effects of afferent signals from the extraocular muscles upon units in the cerebellum, vestibular nuclear complex and oculomotor nucleus of the trout. Neuroscience 31:529–541
Aström KE (1953) On the central course of afferent fibers in the trigeminal, facial, glossopharingeal and vagal nerves and their nuclei in the mouse. Acta Physiol Scand 29:209–320
Bortolami R, Lucchi ML, Pettorossi VE, Callegari E, Manni E (1987) Localization and somatotopy of sensory cells innervating the extraocular muscles of lamb, pig and cat: histochemical and electrophysiological investigation. Arch Ital Biol 125:1–15
Buisseret-Delmas C, Buisseret P (1990) Central projections of extraocular muscle afferents in cat. Neurosci Lett 109:48–53
Conde F (1987) Further studies on the use of the fluorescent tracers fast blue and diamidino yellow: effective uptake area and cellular storage sites. J Neurosci Methods 21:31–43
Donaldson IML, Knox PC (1988) Units in pigeon brainstem whose vestibular responses are modified by passive eye-movements. J Physiol (Lond) 398:35P
Fillenz M (1955) Responses in the brainstem of the cat to stretch of extrinsic ocular muscles. J Physiol 128:182–199
Gernandt BE (1968) Interactions between extraocular myotatic and ascending vestibular activities. Exp Neurol 20:120–134
Luschei ES (1987) Central projections of the mesencephalic nucleus of the fifth nerve: an autoradiographic study. J Comp Neurol 263:137–145
Matesz C (1981) Peripheral and central distribution of fibres of the mesencephalic trigeminal root in the rat. Neurosci Lett 27:13–17
Ogasawara K, Onodera S, Shiwa T, Ninomiya S, Tazawa Y (1987) Projections of extraocular muscle primary afferent neurons to the trigeminal sensory complex in the cat as studied with the transganglionic transport of horseradish peroxidase. Neurosci Lett 73:242–246
Porter JD (1986) Brainstem terminations of extraocular muscle primary afferent neurons in the monkey. J Comp Neurol 247:133–143
Porter JD, Spencer RF (1982) Localization and morphology of cat extraocular muscles afferent neurones identified by retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase. J Comp Neurol 204:56–64
Precht W (1977) The functional synaptology of brainstem oculomotor pathways. In: Baker R, Berthoz A (eds) Control of gaze by brain stem neurons: developments in neuroscience, Vol 1. Elsevier, North-Holland, pp 131–141
Sherrington CS, (1918) Observations on the sensual role of the proprioceptive nerve-supply of the extrinsic ocular muscles. Brain 41:332–343
Sivanandasingham P (1977) Somata of feline extraocular muscles proprioceptors. Acta Anat 99:152–159
Sivanandasingham P (1978) Peripheral pathway of proprioceptive fibres from feline extraocular muscles. Acta Anat 100:173–184
Tomlinson RD, Schwartz DWF (1977) Response of oculomotor neurons to eye muscle stretch. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 55:568–573
Vedral DF (1968) The location of the cell bodies associated with proprioceptive fibers from skeletal muscles innervated by the trochlear and abducens nerves. Anat Rec 166:444
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Buisseret-Delmas, C., Epelbaum, M. & Buisseret, P. The vestibular nuclei of the cat receive a primary afferent projection from receptors in extraocular muscles. Exp Brain Res 81, 654–658 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02423516
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02423516