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Trisynaptic inhibition from the contralateral vertical semicircular canal nerves to neck motoneurons mediated by spinal commissural neurons.

1. Neck motoneurons usually receive disynaptic excitation and inhibition from individual semicircular canal nerves. However, in motoneurons of some neck muscles, trisynaptic inhibition is evoked by stimulation of the contralateral vertical canal nerves. The present study was performed to analyze this pathway and the location and properties of the last-order interneurons responsible for mediating this trisynaptic inhibition from the contralateral vertical canal nerves to neck motoneurons in anesthetized cats. 2. Bipolar stimulating electrodes were implanted on the contralateral anterior (ACN), lateral (LCN), and posterior canal nerve (PCN), and postsynaptic potentials (PSPs) evoked by electrical stimulation of individual canal nerves were intracellularly recorded from motoneurons of the obliquus capitis inferior (OCI), longus capitis (LC), and rectus capitis posterior (RCP) muscles. Stimulation of the contralateral ACN evoked trisynaptic inhibitory PSPs (IPSPs) in OCI and LC motoneurons and disynaptic excitatory PSPs (EPSPs) in RCP motoneurons. Stimulation of the contralateral PCN evoked di- and trisynaptic IPSPs in OCI and RCP motoneurons and disynaptic EPSPs in LC motoneurons. Stimulation of the contralateral LCN evoked disynaptic EPSPs in all of the motoneurons examined. 3. To determine the pathway that mediates these trisynaptic IPSPs from the vertical canal nerves to neck motoneurons, a lesion was made in the lower medulla, and the patterns of PSPs evoked by stimulation of the three contralateral canal nerves were compared before and after the lesion. Interruption of the ipsilateral medial longitudinal fascicle (MLF) abolished all disynaptic EPSPs and IPSPs from the three contralateral canal nerves in OCI, LC, and RCP motoneurons. In contrast, trisynaptic IPSPs evoked by stimulation of the contralateral ACN or PCN remained unaffected by sectioning the MLFs bilaterally. Sectioning of the contralateral lateral vestibulospinal tract (LVST) eliminated the trisynaptic IPSPs in OCI and LC motoneurons evoked by contralateral ACN stimulation and trisynaptic IPSPs in OCI and RCP motoneurons evoked by contralateral PCN stimulation but did not affect disynaptic EPSPs and IPSPs. 4. Stimulation of the contralateral LVST in the lower medulla after sectioning the bilateral MLFs evoked disynaptic IPSPs in OCI, LC, and RCP motoneurons. Because the LVST only projects ipsilaterally, this finding indicates that the last-order interneurons that mediate the trisynaptic inhibition through the LVST are most likely commissural neurons located in the spinal cord. 5. To determine the locations of last-order commissural neurons terminating on OCI motoneurons, wheat germ agglutinin conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) was injected into the OCI muscle nerve at C1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

Three-dimensional vector analysis of the human vestibuloocular reflex in response to high-acceleration head rotations. II. responses in subjects with unilateral vestibular loss and selective semicircular canal occlusion.

1. We studied the three-dimensional input-output human vestibuloocular reflex (VOR) kinematics after selective loss of semicircular canal (SCC) function either through total unilateral vestibular deafferentation (uVD) or through single posterior SCC occlusion (uPCO), and showed large deficits in magnitude and direction in response to high-acceleration head rotations (head "impulses"). 2. A head impulse is a passive, unpredictable, high-acceleration (3,000-4,000 degrees/s2) head rotation through an amplitude of 10-20 degrees in roll, pitch, or yaw. The subjects were tested while seated in the upright position and focusing on a fixation target. Head and eye rotations were measured with the use of dual search coils, and were expressed as rotation vectors. A three-dimensional vector analysis was performed on the input-output VOR kinematics after uVD, to produce two indexes in the time domain: magnitude and direction. Magnitude is expressed as speed gain (G) and direction as misalignment angle (delta). 3. G. after uVD, was significantly lower than normal in both directions of head rotation during roll, pitch, and yaw impulses, and were much lower during ipsilesional than during contralesional roll and yaw impulses. At 80 ms from the onset of an impulse (i.e., near peak head velocity), G was 0.23 +/- 0.08 (SE) (ipsilesional) and 0.56 +/- 0.08 (contralesional) for roll impulses, 0.61 +/- 0.09 (up) and 0.72 +/- 0.10 (down) for pitch impulses, and 0.36 +/- 0.06 (ipsilesional) and 0.76 +/- 0.09 (contralesional) for yaw impulses (mean +/- 95% confidence intervals). 4. delta, after uVD, was significantly different from normal during ipsilesional roll and yaw impulses and during pitch-up and pitch-down impulses. delta was normal during contralesional roll and yaw impulses. At 80 ms from the onset of the impulse, delta was 30.6 +/- 4.5 (ipsilesional) and 13.4 +/- 5.0 (contralesional) for roll impulses, 23.7 +/- 3.7 (up) and 31.6 +/- 4.4 (down) for pitch impulses, and 68.7 +/- 13.2 (ipsilesional) and 11.0 +/- 3.3 (contralesional) for yaw impulses (mean +/- 95% confidence intervals). 5. VOR gain (gamma), after uVD, were significantly lower than normal for both directions of roll, pitch, and yaw impulses and much lower during ipsilesional than during contralesional roll and yaw impulses. At 80 ms from the onset of the head impulse, the gamma was 0.22 +/- 0.08 (ipsilesional) and 0.54 +/- 0.09 (contralesional) for roll impulses, 0.55 +/- 0.09 (up) and 0.61 +/- 0.09 (down) for pitch impulses, and 0.14 +/- 0.10 (ipsilesional) and 0.74 +/- 0.06 (contralesional) for yaw impulses (mean +/- 95% confidence intervals). Because gamma is equal to [G*cos (delta)], it is significantly different from its corresponding G during ipsilesional roll and yaw, and during all pitch impulses, but not during contralesional roll and yaw impulses. 6. After uPCO, pitch-vertical gamma during pitch-up impulses was reduced to the same extent as after uVD; roll-torsional gamma during ipsilesional roll impulses was significantly lower than normal but significantly higher than after uVD. At 80 ms from the onset of the head impulse, gamma was 0.32 +/- 0.13 (ipsilesional) and 0.55 +/- 0.16 (contralesional) for roll impulses, 0.51 +/- 0.12 (up) and 0.91 +/- 0.14 (down) for pitch impulses, and 0.76 +/- 0.06 (ipsilesional) and 0.73 +/- 0.09 (contralesional) for yaw impulses (mean +/- 95% confidence intervals). 7. The eye rotation axis, after uVD, deviates in the yaw plane, away from the normal interaural axis, toward the nasooccipital axis, during all pitch impulses. After uPCO, the eye rotation axis deviates in same direction as after uVD during pitch-up impulses, but is well aligned with the head rotation axis during pitch-down impulses.

Adult↗

The response of primary horizontal semicircular canal neurons in the rat and guinea pig to angular acceleration.

In rats and guinea pigs, primary afferent neurons from the horizontal semicircular canal were divided into two categories, regular and irregular, on the basis of the regularity of their resting activity. Regular neurons tend to have higher average resting rates than irregular neurons and in response to a constant angular acceleration stimulus of 16.7 deg/s2 regular neurons tended to have lower sensitivity and longer time constants than irregular cells. Some irregular neurons are more sensitive to incremental accelerations than to decremental accelerations of the same magnitude, whereas regular neurons tend to show symmetrical sensitivity. In response to sinusoidal angular acceleration stimuli (fixed frequencies) in the range 0.01-1.5 Hz, cells which fired regularly at rest tended to have smaller gain and longer phase lag re acceleration at most frequencies than irregular cells. Transfer functions were obtained for averaged data for regular and irregular neurons separately in both species. In both species there is evidence of systematic variation between neurons within each category, and this systematic variation is obscured by averaging across neurons.

Acceleration↗

Success of posterior semicircular canal occlusion and application of the dizziness handicap inventory.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the long-term efficacy and patient satisfaction of posterior semicircular canal occlusion (PSCO) as a treatment for intractable benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective analysis of patients with BPPV who underwent PSCO was conducted in a tertiary referral center. Demographic data, clinical records, and audiometric data were reviewed. Dix-Hallpike maneuver, dizziness handicap inventory (DHI), and a specific PSCO questionnaire (PCOQ) were used to measure outcome. RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients underwent PSCO. The mean follow-up time was 40 months. All patients had normalization of the Hallpike test. DHI scores of 20 patients were recorded. The mean preoperative score was 70 compared with postoperative mean of 13 (P < 0.001). Mild hearing loss was found in 1 patient. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: PSCO is highly successful. The DHI scores postoperatively show significant improvement. The PCOQ revealed an overall 85% patient satisfaction rate. PSCO is a safe and effective intervention for intractable BPPV with a high patient satisfaction rate. EBM RATING: C-4.

Adult↗

Purine and pyrimidine nucleotide-sensitive phospholipase A(2) in ampulla from frog semicircular canal.

This study was attempted to characterize pharmacologically the P2Y receptors triggering phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) activation in ampulla from frog semicircular canal. A microassay was developed to screen the abilities of UTP analogs to stimulate [(3)H]arachidonic acid release by labeled ampullas. At 26 degrees C UTP induced a dose-dependent and saturable increase of PLA(2) activity (apparent activation constant 1.3 +/- 0.4 microM, Hill coefficient 0.9 +/- 0.2, maximal stimulating factor 2.0 +/- 0.1). The rank order of potency of agonists for PLA(2) activation was UTP > or = UDP > adenosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) = adenosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) > or = ATP = 2-methylthio-ATP > or = ADP = diadenosine tetraphosphate > or = alpha,beta-methylene-ATP = CTP > 2' and 3'-O-(4-benzoylbenzoyl)-ATP > or = AMP = UMP >> uridine and adenosine. UTP- and 2-methylthio-ATP-induced PLA(2) activations were inhibited by U-73122, GF-109203X, and methyl arachidonyl fluorophosphate. Basal activity was stimulated by phorbol ester and epinephrine and reduced by vasotocin, isoproterenol, prostaglandin E(2), cAMP, and forskolin. H-89 restored the cAMP- and forskolin-inhibited PLA(2) activities. Results indicate that P2Y receptor-mediated PLA(2) stimulation requires phopholipase C and protein kinase C activations and basal activity is inhibited by agonist-stimulated cAMP-dependent mechanisms.

4,4'-Diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-Disulfonic Acid↗

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo of posterior semicircular canal: results in 160 cases treated with Semont's maneuver.

One hundred sixty patients affected by benign paroxysmal positional vertigo of the posterior semicircular canal were treated with Semont's maneuver. Complete recovery after only one session was achieved in more than 50% of cases. After a maximum of five sessions, almost all patients had recovered; only 8 needed another kind of rehabilitation. No drug therapy was required for any patient.

Female↗

[Dehiscence of the anterior semicircular canal and otosclerosis: a case report].

UNLABELLED: The dehiscence of the anterior semicircular canal is a new clinical entity, it is necessary to consider this when a gusher occurs during stapedial surgery. CASE REPORT: We report a rare case of dehiscence of the anterior canal associated with otosclerosis. This was revealed by a gusher during the initial stapedectomy. At 3 months, an obliteration of the dehiscence was necessary by middle cranial fossa approach (persistant vestibular symptoms), seven months later. Revision stapedial surgery resulted in complete closure of the air-bone-gap. CONCLUSION: High resolution CT scans of the temporal bone are the key to diagnosis. It is necessary to appreciate this pathology with advances in canal and vestibular surgery.

Early Diagnosis↗

NMDA receptors in frog semicircular canals.

The effects of competitive (2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid) and noncompetitive (Mg2+, ketamine and kynurenic acid) NMDA receptor antagonists were tested in isolated semicircular canals of the frog. All these antagonists reduced the resting firing rate recorded from the whole ampullar nerve of the posterior canal. This suggests that NMDA receptors are present at the cytoneural junctions between hair cells and afferent nerve terminals in frog vestibular organs.

Afferent Pathways↗

Recurrence of symptoms following treatment of posterior semicircular canal benign positional paroxysmal vertigo with a particle repositioning manoeuvre.

A consecutive series of 51 patients (34 females and 17 males) with posterior semicircular canal benign positional paroxysmal vertigo (BPPV) were treated with the modified Epley particle positioning manoeuvre (PRM). Follow-up data were available on all 51 patients. After one manoeuvre, 42 patients had a negative Dix-Hallpike test, and after a second manoeuvre, 8 of the remaining 9 patients had a negative Dix-Hallpike test (testing was conducted 1 to 2 weeks after the PRM was performed). Therefore, the overall short-term success rate after two manoeuvres was 50 of 51 patients (98%), which is similar to other series. A follow-up questionnaire to determine the incidence of recurrence of symptoms was administered after a minimum period of 30 weeks. Twenty-three patients reported a recurrence (or, in the case of the one treatment failure, persistence) of their symptoms (45%). Therefore, although virtually all patients can be treated successfully with the PRM, almost half of these patients can be expected to experience a further recurrence of symptoms. This long-term recurrence rate is higher than has previously been reported and is a significant factor clinicians must be aware of in their treatment of this condition. In particular, this finding emphasizes the need for patient counselling with regard to the likelihood of recurrence and access to follow-up treatment if recurrence occurs.

Counseling↗

Differential central projections of physiologically characterized horizontal semicircular canal vestibular nerve afferents in the toadfish, Opsanus tau.

Anatomical and neurophysiological studies were undertaken to examine the central projection pattern of physiologically characterized horizontal semicircular canal vestibular nerve afferents in the toadfish, Opsanus tau. The variations in individual response characteristics of vestibular nerve afferents to rotational stimulus provided a means of typing the afferents into descriptive classes; the afferents fell into a broad continuum across the spectrum from low-gain, velocity-sensitive to high-gain, acceleration-sensitive responses (Boyle and Highstein [1990b] J. Neurosci. 10:1557-1569; Boyle and Highstein [1990a] J. Neurosci. 10:1570-1582). In the present study, each afferent was typed as a low-gain, high-gain, or acceleration fiber during rotational or mechanical stimulation (Rabbitt et al. [1995] J. Neurophysiol. 73:2237-2260) and was then intracellularly injected with biocytin. The axons were reconstructed, and the morphology, synaptic boutons, and projection pattern of each axon were determined. The results indicated that the three descriptive classes of vestibular nerve afferents have unique as well as overlapping central projection patterns and destinations in the vestibular nuclei, with intranuclear parcellation in the anterior octavus, magnocellularis, tangentialis, posterior octavus, and descending octavus nuclei. In general, increased sensitivity and faster response dynamics were correlated with both a more extensive central projection and a progressive increase in morphological complexity. Low-gain, velocity-sensitive fibers were the simplest morphologically, with the fewest number of branches (n = 17) and shortest length (4,282 microm), and projections were confined to the middle portions of the vestibular nuclei. High-gain, velocity-sensitive fibers were morphologically more diverse than low-gain fibers, with a greater number of branches (n = 26), longer length (6,059 microm), 29% greater volume, and a more widespread projection pattern with projections to both the anterior and the middle portions of the vestibular nuclei. Acceleration fibers were morphologically distinct from low- and high-gain fibers, with more elaborate branching (n = 41), greatest overall length (17,370 microm) and volume (16% greater than high gains), and displayed the most extensive central projection pattern, innervating all vestibular nuclei except tangentialis. Thus, there are anatomically demonstrable differential central projections of canal afferents with different response dynamics within the vestibular complex of the fish.

Animals↗

Three tests of the hypothesis that glutamate is the sensory hair cell transmitter in the frog semicircular canal.

Three series of experiments were devised to test the hypothesis that glutamate is the transmitter released by sensory hair cells of the frog semicircular canal. These three tests were: 1 - The Tolerance experiment (i.e. making the preparation tolerant to injected Glu yet still capable of responding to endogenous transmitter). 2 - The Glu Decarboxylase experiment (i.e. bathing the preparation in sufficient enzyme to prevent the effects of exogenous Glu by degrading it without affecting the response to endogenous transmitter) and; 3 - The Diltiazem experiment (i.e. using the calcium channel antagonist, diltiazem, to prevent the effect of exogenous Glu and yet not to interfere with endogenous transmitter release and action). The Tolerance and Diltiazem experiments produced results indicative of a clear dissociation between exogenous Glu and natural transmitter. The Glu decarboxylase experiment results were not so clear, producing both evidence for and against the hypothesis.

Animals↗