Vestibular, auditory, and somatic input to the posterior thalamus of the cat. 1979

P S Blum, and L D Abraham, and S Gilman

The responses of 157 neural units in the magnocellular (mc) and parvocellular (pc) components of the medial geniculate nucleus (MG) and other nuclei of the posterior (PO) thalamic group were recorded and analyzed. Units were tested for a response to electrical stimulation of the vestibular nerve, natural auditory and electrical cochlear nerve stimulation, and natural stimulation of joint, muscle, and cutaneous receptors of the limbs, trunk, and neck (somatic stimulation). Only 45% of the units responded to these stimuli. Twenty-four percent of the responsive units were multimodal, responding to more than one stimulus. All multimodal units were activated by auditory stimuli. More units responding to vestibular stimulation were found in mcMG than in pcMG or other components of the PO group. Potentials evoked by vestibular nerve stimulation were recorded in all 3 regions with latencies of 5--25 msec. No evidence was found for a thalamic relay from vestibular nerve to cortex in the area investigated, since the recorded latency for activity from vestibular nerve stimulation was longer than the latency of responses recorded in the cortex. This region of the thalamus appears to be important for reception of auditory information and integration with vestibular and somatic modalities.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007596 Joints Also known as articulations, these are points of connection between the ends of certain separate bones, or where the borders of other bones are juxtaposed. Joint
D008465 Mechanoreceptors Cells specialized to transduce mechanical stimuli and relay that information centrally in the nervous system. Mechanoreceptor cells include the INNER EAR hair cells, which mediate hearing and balance, and the various somatosensory receptors, often with non-neural accessory structures. Golgi Tendon Organ,Golgi Tendon Organs,Krause's End Bulb,Krause's End Bulbs,Mechanoreceptor,Mechanoreceptor Cell,Meissner's Corpuscle,Neurotendinous Spindle,Neurotendinous Spindles,Receptors, Stretch,Ruffini's Corpuscle,Ruffini's Corpuscles,Stretch Receptor,Stretch Receptors,Mechanoreceptor Cells,Bulb, Krause's End,Bulbs, Krause's End,Cell, Mechanoreceptor,Cells, Mechanoreceptor,Corpuscle, Meissner's,Corpuscle, Ruffini's,Corpuscles, Ruffini's,End Bulb, Krause's,End Bulbs, Krause's,Krause End Bulb,Krause End Bulbs,Krauses End Bulb,Krauses End Bulbs,Meissner Corpuscle,Meissners Corpuscle,Organ, Golgi Tendon,Organs, Golgi Tendon,Receptor, Stretch,Ruffini Corpuscle,Ruffini Corpuscles,Ruffinis Corpuscle,Ruffinis Corpuscles,Spindle, Neurotendinous,Spindles, Neurotendinous,Tendon Organ, Golgi,Tendon Organs, Golgi
D009132 Muscles Contractile tissue that produces movement in animals. Muscle Tissue,Muscle,Muscle Tissues,Tissue, Muscle,Tissues, Muscle
D009474 Neurons The basic cellular units of nervous tissue. Each neuron consists of a body, an axon, and dendrites. Their purpose is to receive, conduct, and transmit impulses in the NERVOUS SYSTEM. Nerve Cells,Cell, Nerve,Cells, Nerve,Nerve Cell,Neuron
D011434 Proprioception Sensory functions that transduce stimuli received by proprioceptive receptors in joints, tendons, muscles, and the INNER EAR into neural impulses to be transmitted to the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. Proprioception provides sense of stationary positions and movements of one's body parts, and is important in maintaining KINESTHESIA and POSTURAL BALANCE. Labyrinthine Sense,Position Sense,Posture Sense,Sense of Equilibrium,Vestibular Sense,Sense of Position,Equilibrium Sense,Sense, Labyrinthine,Sense, Position,Sense, Posture,Sense, Vestibular
D011930 Reaction Time The time from the onset of a stimulus until a response is observed. Response Latency,Response Speed,Response Time,Latency, Response,Reaction Times,Response Latencies,Response Times,Speed, Response,Speeds, Response
D002415 Cats The domestic cat, Felis catus, of the carnivore family FELIDAE, comprising over 30 different breeds. The domestic cat is descended primarily from the wild cat of Africa and extreme southwestern Asia. Though probably present in towns in Palestine as long ago as 7000 years, actual domestication occurred in Egypt about 4000 years ago. (From Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th ed, p801) Felis catus,Felis domesticus,Domestic Cats,Felis domestica,Felis sylvestris catus,Cat,Cat, Domestic,Cats, Domestic,Domestic Cat
D002540 Cerebral Cortex The thin layer of GRAY MATTER on the surface of the CEREBRAL HEMISPHERES that develops from the TELENCEPHALON and folds into gyri and sulci. It reaches its highest development in humans and is responsible for intellectual faculties and higher mental functions. Allocortex,Archipallium,Cortex Cerebri,Cortical Plate,Paleocortex,Periallocortex,Allocortices,Archipalliums,Cerebral Cortices,Cortex Cerebrus,Cortex, Cerebral,Cortical Plates,Paleocortices,Periallocortices,Plate, Cortical
D003056 Cochlear Nerve The cochlear part of the 8th cranial nerve (VESTIBULOCOCHLEAR NERVE). The cochlear nerve fibers originate from neurons of the SPIRAL GANGLION and project peripherally to cochlear hair cells and centrally to the cochlear nuclei (COCHLEAR NUCLEUS) of the BRAIN STEM. They mediate the sense of hearing. Acoustic Nerve,Auditory Nerve,Acoustic Nerves,Auditory Nerves,Cochlear Nerves,Nerve, Acoustic,Nerve, Auditory,Nerve, Cochlear,Nerves, Acoustic,Nerves, Auditory,Nerves, Cochlear
D004558 Electric Stimulation Use of electric potential or currents to elicit biological responses. Stimulation, Electric,Electrical Stimulation,Electric Stimulations,Electrical Stimulations,Stimulation, Electrical,Stimulations, Electric,Stimulations, Electrical

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