Role of the otolith organs in generation of horizontal nystagmus: effects of selective labyrinthine lesions

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Abstract

Selective labyrinthine lesions were made to study the origin of excitation in the labyrinth during off-vertical axis rotation. Plugging the semicircular canals abolishes the response to rotation about a vertical axis, but optokinetic after-nystagmus (OKAN) and the sustained horizontal nystagmus induced by off-vertical axis rotation (OVAR) are maintained. After cutting the nerves of the lateral semicircular canals, neither horizontal OKAN nor the continuous horizontal nystagmus associated with off-axis rotation can be induced, although vertical OKN, OKAN and vestibular nystagmus are intact. This supports the theory that labyrinthine activity responsible for the nystagmus induced by OVAR arises in the otolith organs and couples to the oculomotor system through the velocity storage mechanism.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)159-164
Number of pages6
JournalBrain Research
Volume276
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 3 Oct 1983

Keywords

  • labyrinth
  • nystagmus
  • otolith organs
  • semicircular canals
  • velocity storage
  • vestibulo-ocular reflex

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