Behavior of the motor neurons of the external oculomotor nucleus during vestibular stimulation in the waking cat

Abstract

The electrical activity of abducens motoneurons during sinusoidal stimulation of the head has been recorded in alert cats.Recorded motoneurons were identified by their antidromic activation from the VIth nerve.The profile of motoneuronal firing rate showed a sinusoidal modulation leading eye position in the orbit.Motoneuron firing rate was decomposed in two separate components, proportional and in phase with eye position (k) and velocity (r), respectively.Time constant of each motoneuron, calculated from phase lead analysis, was similar to that calculated from k and r coefficients.Functional implications of described findings are discussed.