Postsynaptic influences on the vestibular non-deiters nuclei from primary vestibular nerve

Summary Neurones in the descending, medial and superior vestibular nuclei of the cats were explored with intracellular microelectrodes. Cerebellar- and spinal-projecting neurones were identified by their antidromic invasion from the region of fastigial nuclei and from the second cervical segment, respectively, and the others by their location. The central actions of the primary vestibular impulses upon these non-Deiters vestibular nuclei neurones were investigated by using electric stimulation of the ipsilateral vestibular nerve. Many of these cells received excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) monosynaptically, similar to those evoked in the ventral Deiters neurones, as described elsewhere, except that the unitary EPSPs are often larger. Some cells received only polysynaptic EPSPs or IPSPs and a few cells were not influenced at all.