Cervico-ocular Reflex in Bilateral Labyrinthectomized Cats

양측 전정절제(前庭切除) 가묘(家猫)의 경안구반사(頸眼球反射)

The effect of cervical proprioceptors on the control of eye movement and body posture was examined in unanesthetized labyrinthine intact and bilateral labyrinthectomized cats. Cervico-ocular reflex(COR) was elicited by stimulation of the cervical proprioceptors by means of sinusoidal rotation of head or body in the darkness. The following results were obtained: 1) In labyrinthine intact cats, sinusoidal rotation of the whole body elicited compensatory eye movement(vestibulo-ocular reflex: VOR); the direction of eye movement was opposite to the direction of head rotation. 2) Anticompensatory eye movement was observed by sinusoidal rotation of the body with head fixed in labyrinthine intact cats; the direction of eye movement was the same as the direction of head rotation. 3) Compensatory eye movement was observed by sinusoidal rotation of the head with body fixed or sinusoidal rotation of the body with head fixed in both acute and chronic bilateral labyrinthectomized cats. These results suggest that the cervical proprioceptors are important in the control of ocular movement and posture in the bilateral labyrintectomized cats, although they are questionable in labyrinthine intact cats.