Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Nystagmus induced by stimulation of the nucleus of the optic tract in the monkey

  • Published:
Experimental Brain Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

1. The nucleus of the optic tract (NOT) was electrically stimulated in alert rhesus monkeys. In darkness stimulation evoked horizontal nystagmus with ipsilateral slow phases, followed by after-nystagmus in the same direction. The rising time course of the slow phase velocity was similar to the slow rise in optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) and to the charge time of optokinetic after-nystagmus (OKAN). The maximum velocity of the steady state nystagmus was approximately the same as that of OKAN, and the falling time course of the after-nystagmus paralled OKAN. 2. Increases in frequency and duration of stimulation caused the rising and falling time constants of the nystagmus and after-nystagmus to become shorter. Changes in the falling time constant of the after-nystagmus were similar to changes in the time constant of OKAN produced by increases in the velocity or duration of optokinetic stimulation. 3. Stimulus-induced nystagmus was combined with OKN, OKAN and per- and post-rotatory nystagmus. The slow component of OKN as well as OKAN could be prolonged or blocked by stimulation, leaving the rapid component of OKN unaffected. Activity induced by electrical stimulation could also sum with activity arising in the semicircular canals to reduce or abolish post-rotatory nystagmus. 4. Positive stimulus sites for inducing nystagmus were located in the posterolateral pretectum. This included portions of NOT that lie in and around the brachium of the superior colliculus and adjacent regions of the dorsal terminal nucleus (DTN). 5. The data indicate that NOT stimulation had elicited the component of OKN which is responsible for the slow rise in slow phase velocity and for OKAN. The functional implication is that NOT, and possibly DTN, are major sources of visual information related to retinal slip in the animal's yaw plane for semicircular canal-related neurons in the vestibular nuclei. Analyzed in terms of a model of OKN and OKAN (Cohen et al. 1977; Waespe et al. 1983), the indirect pathway, which excites the velocity storage mechanism in the vestibular system to produce the slow component of OKN and OKAN, lies in NOT in the monkey, as it probably also does in cat, rat and rabbit. Pathways carrying activity for the rapid rise in slow phase velocity during OKN or for ocular pursuit appear to lie outside NOT.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Berman N (1977) Connections of the pretectum in the cat. J Comp Neurol 179: 227–259

    Google Scholar 

  • Buettner U, Waespe W, Henn V (1976) Duration and direction of optokinetic afternystagmus as a function of stimulus exposure time in the monkey. Arch Psychiat Nervenkr 222: 281–291

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen B, Matsuo V, Raphan T (1977) Quantitative analysis of the velocity characteristics of optokinetic nystagmus and optokinetic after-nystagmus. J Physiol (London) 270: 321–344

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen B, Suzuki JI, Raphan T (1983) Role of the otolith organs in generation of horizontal nystagmus: effects of selective labyrinthine lesions. Brain Res 276: 159–164

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen B, Helwig D, Raphan T (1987) Baclofen and velocity storage; a model of the effects of the drug on the vestibuloocular reflex. J Physiol (Lond) (in press)

  • Collewijn H (1972) Latency and gain of the rabbit's optokinetic reactions to small movements. Brain Res 36: 59–70

    Google Scholar 

  • Collewijn H (1975a) Direction-selective units in the rabbit's nucleus of the optic tract. Brain Res 100: 489–508

    Google Scholar 

  • Collewijn H (1975b) Oculomotor areas in the rabbit's midbrain and pretectum. J Neurobiol 6: 3–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Collewijn H (1976) Impairment of optokinetic (after-)nystagmus by labyrinthectomy in the rabbit. Exp Neurol 52: 146–156

    Google Scholar 

  • DeJong JMBV, Cohen B, Matsuo V, Uemura T (1980) Midsagittal pontomedullary brainstem section: effects on ocular adduction and nystagmus. Exp Neurol 68: 1420–1442

    Google Scholar 

  • Evinger C, Fuchs AF (1978) Saccadic, smooth pursuit, and optokinetic eye movements of the trained cat. J Physiol (London) 285: 209–229

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg JM, Fernandez C (1971) Physiology of peripheral neurons innervating semicircular canals of the squirrel monkey. I. Resting discharge and response to constant angular accelerations. J Neurophysiol 34: 635–660

    Google Scholar 

  • Hess BJM, Precht W, Reber A, Cazin L (1985) Horizontal optokinetic ocular nystagmus in the pigmented rat. Neuroscience 15: 97–107

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmann KP (1982) Cortical versus subcortical contributions to the optokinetic reflex in the cat. In: Lennerstrand G, Zee DS, Keller E (eds) Functional basis of ocular motility disorders. Pergamon Press, Oxford New York, pp 303–310

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmann KP, Distler C (1986) The role of direction selective cells in the nucleus of the optic tract of cat and monkey during optokinetic nystagmus. In: Keller EL, Zee DS (eds) Adaptive processes in visual and oculomotor systems. Advances in the biosciences, Vol 57. Pergamon Press, Oxford New York, pp 261–266

    Google Scholar 

  • Hutchins HB, Weber JT (1985) The pretectal complex in the monkey: a reinvestigation of the morphology and retinal termination. J Comp Neurol 232: 425–442

    Google Scholar 

  • Judge SJ, Richmond BJ, Chu FC (1980) Implantation of magnetic search coils for measurement of eye position: an improved method. Vis Res 20: 535–538

    Google Scholar 

  • Kato I, Harada K, Hasegawa T, Igarashi T, Koike Y, Kawasaki T (1984) Role of the nucleus of the optic tract in monkeys in relation to optokinetic nystagmus. Brain Res 364: 12–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin H, Giolli RA (1979) Accessory optic system of rhesus monkey. Exp Neurol 63: 163–176

    Google Scholar 

  • Lisberger SG, Fuchs AF (1978) Role of primate flocculus during rapid behavioral modification of vestibulo-ocular reflex. I. Purkinje cell activity during visually guided horizontal smooth-pursuit eye movements and passive head rotation. J Neurophysiol 45: 733–763

    Google Scholar 

  • Maekawa K, Takeda T, Kimura M (1984) Responses of the nucleus of the optic tract neurons projecting to the nucleus reticularis tegmenti ponti upon optokinetic stimulation in the rabbit. Neurosci Res 2: 1–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Precht W, Cazin L, Blanks R, Lannou J (1982) Anatomy and physiology of the optokinetic pathways to the vestibular nuclei in the rat. In: Roucoux A, Crommelinck M (eds) Physiological and pathological aspects of eye movements. Dr Junk, The Hague, pp 153–172

    Google Scholar 

  • Raphan T, Matsuo V, Cohen B (1979) Velocity storage in the vestibulo-ocular reflex arc (VOR). Exp Brain Res 35: 229–248

    Google Scholar 

  • Raphan T, Cohen B, Henn V (1981) Effects of gravity on rotatory nystagmus in monkeys. Ann NY Acad Sci 374: 44–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Raphan T, Cohen B (1986) Multidimensional organization of the vestibulo-ocular reflex. In: Keller EL, Zee DS (eds) Advances in the biosciences, Vol 57. Adaptive processes in visual and oculomotor systems. Pergamon Press, Oxford New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Raphan T, Cohen B (1988) Three dimensional structure of velocity storage and its functional significance. Ann NY Acad Sci (in press)

  • Robinson DA (1963) A method of measuring eye movements using a scleral search coil in a magnetic field. IEEE Transact Biomed Electron 10: 138–145

    Google Scholar 

  • Robinson DA (1980) In: Henn V, Cohen B, Young LR (eds) Visual-vestibular interaction in motion perception and the generation of nystagmus. Neurosci Res Program Bulletin 18: 582–588

  • Simpson JI, Giolli RA, Blanks R (1988) Anatomy of the accessory optic system. In: Buettner J (ed) Anatomy of the oculomotor system. Progress in oculomotor research. Elsevier, Amsterdam (in press)

    Google Scholar 

  • Skavenski AA, Robinson DA (1973) Role of abducens neurons in vestibuloocular reflex. J Neurophysiol 36: 724–738

    Google Scholar 

  • Uemura T, Cohen B (1973) Effects of vestibular nuclei lesions on vestibulo-ocular reflexes and posture in monkeys. Acta Otolaryngol Suppl 315: 1–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Ungeleider LG, Desimone R, Galkin TW, Mishkin M (1984) Subcortical projections of area MT in the macaque. J Comp Neurol 223: 358–386

    Google Scholar 

  • Waespe W, Henn V (1977a) Neuronal activity in the vestibular nuclei of the alert monkey during vestibular and optokinetic stimulation. Exp Brain Res 27: 523–538

    Google Scholar 

  • Waespe W, Henn V (1977b) Vestibular nuclei activity during optokinetic after-nystagmus (OKAN) in the alert monkey. Exp Brain Res 30: 323–330

    Google Scholar 

  • Waespe W, Henn V (1981) Visual-vestibular interaction in the flocculus of the alert monkey. II. Purkinje cell activity. Exp Brain Res 43: 349–360

    Google Scholar 

  • Waespe W, Cohen B, Raphan T (1983) Role of the flocculus and paraflocculus in optokinetic nystagmus and visual-vestibular interactions: effect of lesions. Exp Brain Res 50: 9–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Waespe W, Cohen B, Raphan T (1985) Dynamic modifications of the vestibulo-ocular reflex by the nodulus and uvula. Science 228: 199–202

    Google Scholar 

  • Waespe W, Rudinger D, Wolfensberger M (1985a) Purkinje cell activity in the flocculus of vestibular neurectomized and normal monkeys during optokinetic nystagmus and smooth pursuit eye movements. Exp Brain Res 60: 243–262

    Google Scholar 

  • Weber JT and Harting JK (1980) The efferent projections of the pretectal complex: an autoradiographic and horseradish-peroxidase analysis. Brain Res 194: 1–128

    Google Scholar 

  • Zee DS, Yee RD, Robinson DA (1976) Optokinetic responses in labyrinthine-defective human beings. Brain Res 113: 423–428

    Google Scholar 

  • Zee DS, Yamazaki A, Butler PH, Gucer G (1981) Effects of ablation of flocculus and paraflocculus on eye movements in primate. J Neurophysiol 46: 878–899

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Neurology and Physiology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, USA

    D. Schiff, B. Cohen & T. Raphan

  2. Department of Computer and Information Science, Brooklyn College, City University of New York, 10029, New York, NY, USA

    D. Schiff, B. Cohen & T. Raphan

Authors
  1. D. Schiff
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. B. Cohen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. T. Raphan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Supported by NIH grants EY02296, EY04148, EY01867 and PSC-CUNY FRAP award 6-63231

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schiff, D., Cohen, B. & Raphan, T. Nystagmus induced by stimulation of the nucleus of the optic tract in the monkey. Exp Brain Res 70, 1–14 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00271841

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00271841

Key words

Search

Navigation