Effects of midline medullary lesions on velocity storage and the vestibulo-ocular reflex. 1991

E Katz, and J M Vianney de Jong, and J Buettner-Ennever, and B Cohen
Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029.

1. Crossing fibers were sectioned at the midline of the medulla caudal to the abducens nucleus in four cynomolgus monkeys. In two animals the lesions caused the time constant of horizontal and vertical per- and post-rotatory nystagmus to fall to 5-8 s. The slow rise in optokinetic nystagmus (OKN), as well as optokinetic after-nystagmus (OKAN) and cross-coupling of horizontal to vertical OKN and OKAN were abolished. Steady state velocities could not be maintained during off-vertical axis rotation (OVAR). Pitch and yaw nystagmus were affected similarly. We conclude that the ability to store activity related to slow phase eye velocity, i.e., "velocity storage", was lost in these monkeys for nystagmus about any axis. Velocity storage was partially affected by a small midline lesion in the same region in a third animal. There was no effect of a more superficial midline section in a fourth monkey, and it served as a control. 2. The gain (eye velocity/head velocity) of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) was unaffected by the midline lesions. Saccades were normal, as was the ability to hold the eyes in eccentric gaze positions. The gain of the fast component of OKN increased in one monkey to compensate for the loss of the slow component. 3. One animal was tested for its ability to adapt the gain of the VOR due to visual-vestibular mismatch after lesion. Average changes in gain in response to wearing magnifying (2.2x) and reducing (0.5x) lenses, were +35% and -30%, respectively. This is within the range of normal monkeys. Thus, a midline lesion that abolished velocity storage did not alter that animal's ability to adapt the gain of the VOR. 4. Lesions that reduced or abolished velocity storage interrupted crossing fibers in the rostral medulla, caudal to the abducens nuclei. Cells that contributed axons to this portion of the crossing fibers are most likely located in central portions of the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) and/or in rostral portion of the descending vestibular nucleus (DVN). The implication is that velocity storage arises from neurons in MVN and DVN whose axons cross the midline.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008027 Light That portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in the visible, ultraviolet, and infrared range. Light, Visible,Photoradiation,Radiation, Visible,Visible Radiation,Photoradiations,Radiations, Visible,Visible Light,Visible Radiations
D008252 Macaca fascicularis A species of the genus MACACA which typically lives near the coast in tidal creeks and mangrove swamps primarily on the islands of the Malay peninsula. Burmese Long-Tailed Macaque,Crab-Eating Monkey,Cynomolgus Monkey,M. f. aurea,M. fascicularis,Macaca fascicularis aurea,Monkey, Crab-Eating,Monkey, Cynomolgus,Crab-Eating Macaque,Burmese Long Tailed Macaque,Crab Eating Macaque,Crab Eating Monkey,Crab-Eating Macaques,Crab-Eating Monkeys,Cynomolgus Monkeys,Long-Tailed Macaque, Burmese,Macaque, Burmese Long-Tailed,Macaque, Crab-Eating,Monkey, Crab Eating
D008526 Medulla Oblongata The lower portion of the BRAIN STEM. It is inferior to the PONS and anterior to the CEREBELLUM. Medulla oblongata serves as a relay station between the brain and the spinal cord, and contains centers for regulating respiratory, vasomotor, cardiac, and reflex activities. Accessory Cuneate Nucleus,Ambiguous Nucleus,Arcuate Nucleus of the Medulla,Arcuate Nucleus-1,External Cuneate Nucleus,Lateral Cuneate Nucleus,Nucleus Ambiguus,Ambiguus, Nucleus,Arcuate Nucleus 1,Arcuate Nucleus-1s,Cuneate Nucleus, Accessory,Cuneate Nucleus, External,Cuneate Nucleus, Lateral,Medulla Oblongatas,Nucleus, Accessory Cuneate,Nucleus, Ambiguous,Nucleus, External Cuneate,Nucleus, Lateral Cuneate
D009412 Nerve Fibers Slender processes of NEURONS, including the AXONS and their glial envelopes (MYELIN SHEATH). Nerve fibers conduct nerve impulses to and from the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. Cerebellar Mossy Fibers,Mossy Fibers, Cerebellar,Cerebellar Mossy Fiber,Mossy Fiber, Cerebellar,Nerve Fiber
D009760 Nystagmus, Physiologic Involuntary rhythmical movements of the eyes in the normal person. These can be naturally occurring as in end-position (end-point, end-stage, or deviational) nystagmus or induced by the optokinetic drum (NYSTAGMUS, OPTOKINETIC), caloric test, or a rotating chair. Nystagmus, Barany,Nystagmus, Caloric,Nystagmus, End-Position,Nystagmus, Positional,Nystagmus, Post-Rotatory,Nystagmus, Thermal,Nystagmus, Barany's,Nystagmus, Physiological,Physiologic Nystagmus,Barany Nystagmus,Barany's Nystagmus,Caloric Nystagmus,End-Position Nystagmus,Nystagmus, Baranys,Nystagmus, End Position,Nystagmus, Post Rotatory,Physiological Nystagmus,Positional Nystagmus,Post-Rotatory Nystagmus,Thermal Nystagmus
D012027 Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular A reflex wherein impulses are conveyed from the cupulas of the SEMICIRCULAR CANALS and from the OTOLITHIC MEMBRANE of the SACCULE AND UTRICLE via the VESTIBULAR NUCLEI of the BRAIN STEM and the median longitudinal fasciculus to the OCULOMOTOR NERVE nuclei. It functions to maintain a stable retinal image during head rotation by generating appropriate compensatory EYE MOVEMENTS. Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex,Reflex, Vestibuloocular,Reflexes, Vestibo-Ocular,Reflexes, Vestibuloocular,Reflex, Vestibulo Ocular,Reflexes, Vestibo Ocular,Vestibo-Ocular Reflexes,Vestibulo Ocular Reflex,Vestibuloocular Reflex,Vestibuloocular Reflexes
D001931 Brain Mapping Imaging techniques used to colocalize sites of brain functions or physiological activity with brain structures. Brain Electrical Activity Mapping,Functional Cerebral Localization,Topographic Brain Mapping,Brain Mapping, Topographic,Functional Cerebral Localizations,Mapping, Brain,Mapping, Topographic Brain
D003624 Darkness The absence of light. Darknesses
D005133 Eye Movements Voluntary or reflex-controlled movements of the eye. Eye Movement,Movement, Eye,Movements, Eye
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia

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