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Does the vestibular system contribute to head direction cell activity in the rat?Head direction cells (HDC) located in several regions of the brain, including the anterior dorsal nucleus of the thalamus (ADN), postsubiculum (PoS), and lateral mammillary nuclei (LMN), provide the neural substrate for the determination of head direction. Although activity of HDC is influenced by various sensory signals and internally generated cues, lesion studies and some anatomical and physiological evidence suggest that vestibular inputs are critical for the maintenance of directional sensitivity of these cells. However, vestibular inputs must be transformed considerably in order to signal head direction, and the neuronal circuitry that accomplishes this signal processing has not been fully established. Furthermore, it is unclear why the removal of vestibular inputs abolishes the directional sensitivity of HDC, as visual and other sensory inputs and motor feedback signals strongly affect the firing of these neurons and would be expected to maintain their directional-related activity. Further physiological studies will be required to establish the role of vestibular system in producing HDC responses, and anatomical studies are needed to determine the neural circuitry that mediates vestibular influences on determination of head direction.
Document ID
20040087903
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Brown, J. E.
(University of Pittsburgh 15260, Pittsburgh, PA, United States)
Yates, B. J.
Taube, J. S.
Oman, C. M.
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
December 1, 2002
Publication Information
Publication: Physiology & behavior
Volume: 77
Issue: 5-Apr
ISSN: 0031-9384
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: P01 DC03417
CONTRACT_GRANT: R01 DC00693
CONTRACT_GRANT: R01 DC03732
CONTRACT_GRANT: K02 MH01286
CONTRACT_GRANT: R01 MH48924
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
Review, Tutorial
NASA Program Biomedical Research and Countermeasures
Non-NASA Center
Review
NASA Discipline Neuroscience

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