The performance of the smooth pursuit reflex and the ability to suppress the vestibulo-ocular reflex were assessed in 10 normal subjects and in patients with a variety of diseases of the central nervous system. Pursuit was measured as the maximum velocity of slow phase eye movement in response to a laser target moving sinusoidally at various frequencies up to 1 Hz and with amplitudes stepped up...

The critical maturation time of central otolith neurons in processing spatial orientations was examined in Sprague-Dawley rats. With the use of immuno-hybridization histochemical methods, we observed c-fos expression in vestibular nuclear neurons responding to transverse movement on the horizontal plane as early as P7 and those to antero-posterior stimulation as early as P9. In the inferior oli...

The critical maturation time of central otolith neurons in processing spatial orientations was examined in Sprague-Dawley rats. With the use of immuno-hybridization histochemical methods, we observed c-fos expression in vestibular nuclear neurons responding to transverse movement on the horizontal plane as early as P7 and those to antero-posterior stimulation as early as P9. In the inferior oli...

In gymnastics, most skills incorporate rotations about one or more body axes. At present, the question remains open if factors such as lateral preference and/or vestibulo-spinal asymmetry are related to gymnast's rotational preference. Therefore, we sought to explore relationships in gymnast's rotation direction between different gymnastic skills. Furthermore, we sought to explore relationships...

The purposes of this study were to examine whether aquatic exercise has influence on the neuroplasticity and vestibulo-motor function in diffuse brain injury rats. 80 Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to four groups; Group I: control group (n=20), Group II: aquatic exercise (n=20), Group III: treadmill exercise with change of velocity and inclination (n=20), Group IV: simple treadmill exercise ...

The vestibulo-ocular reflexes stabilize retinal images during head movements. While there is a wealth of information about the interaction between the cerebellum and vestibulo-ocular reflexes mediated by the semicircular canals, little is known about the role of the cerebellum in the generation of the otolith-mediated linear vestibulo-ocular reflex (LVOR). By means of transient linear accelerat...

The rotational vestibulo-ocular reflex in primates is linear and stabilizes gaze in space over a large range of head movements. Best evidence suggests that position-vestibular-pause (PVP) and eye-head velocity (EHV) neurons in the vestibular nuclei are the primary mediators of vestibulo-ocular reflexes for rotational head movements, yet the linearity of these neurons has not been extensively te...

Orthostatic hypotension is most common in elderly people, and its prevalence increases with age. Attenuation of the vestibulo-sympathetic reflex (VSR) is commonly associated with orthostatic hypotension. In this study, we investigated the role of glutamate on the vestibulo-solitary projection of the VSR pathway to clarify the pathophysiology of orthostatic hypotension. Blood pressure and expres...

The inter-related functions of several systems that evolved hundreds of millions of years ago, the vestibular, sympathetic, and cardiovascular systems, have important clinical implications in modern neurology and neuro-otology. Operating largely out of consciousness, the vestibular system responds to head and body movement in any direction, stabilizes the head and body with regard to gravity in...