Resonance of spike discharge modulation in neurons of the guinea pig medial vestibular nucleus

Neural variability determines coding strategies for natural self-motion in macaque monkeys

We have previously reported that central neurons mediating vestibulo-spinal reflexes and self-motion perception optimally encode natural self-motion (Mitchell et al., 2018). Importantly however, the vestibular nuclei also comprise other neuronal classes that mediate essential functions such as the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and its adaptation. Here we show that heterogeneities in resting discharge variability mediate a trade-off between faithful encoding and optimal coding via temporal whitening. Specifically, neurons displaying lower variability did not whiten naturalistic self-motion but instead faithfully represented the stimulus' detailed time course, while neurons displaying higher variability displayed temporal whitening. Using a well-established model of VOR pathways, we demonstrate that faithful stimulus encoding is necessary to generate the compensatory eye movements found experimentally during naturalistic self-motion. Our findings suggest a novel functional role for variability toward establishing different coding strategies: (1) faithful stimulus encoding for generating the VOR; (2) optimized coding via temporal whitening for other vestibular functions.

Abnormal Phase Coupling in Parkinson's Disease and Normalization Effects of Subthreshold Vestibular Stimulation

The human brain is a highly dynamic structure requiring dynamic coordination between different neural systems to perform numerous cognitive and behavioral tasks. Emerging perspectives on basal ganglia (BG) and thalamic functions have highlighted their role in facilitating and mediating information transmission among cortical regions. Thus, changes in BG and thalamic structures can induce aberrant modulation of cortico-cortical interactions. Recent work in deep brain stimulation (DBS) has demonstrated that externally applied electrical current to BG structures can have multiple downstream effects in large-scale brain networks. In this work, we identified EEG-based altered resting-state cortical functional connectivity in Parkinson's disease (PD) and examined effects of dopaminergic medication and electrical vestibular stimulation (EVS), a non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) technique capable of stimulating the BG and thalamus through vestibular pathways. Resting EEG was collected from 16 PD subjects and 18 age-matched, healthy controls (HC) in four conditions: sham (no stimulation), EVS1 (4-8 Hz multisine), EVS2 (50-100 Hz multisine) and EVS3 (100-150 Hz multisine). The mean, variability, and entropy were extracted from time-varying phase locking value (PLV), a non-linear measure of pairwise functional connectivity, to probe abnormal cortical couplings in the PD subjects. We found the mean PLV of Cz and C3 electrodes were important for discrimination between PD and HC subjects. In addition, the PD subjects exhibited lower variability and entropy of PLV (mostly in theta and alpha bands) compared to the controls, which were correlated with their clinical characteristics. While levodopa medication was effective in normalizing the mean PLV only, all EVS stimuli normalized the mean, variability and entropy of PLV in the PD subject, with the exact extent and duration of improvement a function of stimulus type. These findings provide evidence demonstrating both low- and high-frequency EVS exert widespread influences on cortico-cortical connectivity, likely via subcortical activation. The improvement observed in PD in a stimulus-dependent manner suggests that EVS with optimized parameters may provide a new non-invasive means for neuromodulation of functional brain networks.

Comparisons of Neuronal and Excitatory Network Properties between the Rat Brainstem Nuclei that Participate in Vertical and Horizontal Gaze Holding

Gaze holding is primarily controlled by neural structures including the prepositus hypoglossi nucleus (PHN) for horizontal gaze and the interstitial nucleus of Cajal (INC) for vertical and torsional gaze. In contrast to the accumulating findings of the PHN, there is no report regarding the membrane properties of INC neurons or the local networks in the INC. In this study, to verify whether the neural structure of the INC is similar to that of the PHN, we investigated the neuronal and network properties of the INC using whole-cell recordings in rat brainstem slices. Three types of afterhyperpolarization (AHP) profiles and five firing patterns observed in PHN neurons were also observed in INC neurons. However, the overall distributions based on the AHP profile and the firing patterns of INC neurons were different from those of PHN neurons. The application of burst stimulation to a nearby site of a recorded INC neuron induced an increase in the frequency of spontaneous EPSCs. The duration of the increased EPSC frequency of INC neurons was not significantly different from that of PHN neurons. The percent of duration reduction induced by a Ca²⁺-permeable AMPA (CP-AMPA) receptor antagonist was significantly smaller in the INC than in the PHN. These findings suggest that local excitatory networks that activate sustained EPSC responses also exist in the INC, but their activation mechanisms including the contribution of CP-AMPA receptors differ between the INC and the PHN.

Distinct response properties of rat prepositus hypoglossi nucleus neurons classified on the basis of firing patterns

Neurons in the prepositus hypoglossi nucleus (PHN), which is involved in controlling horizontal gaze, show distinct firing patterns in response to depolarizing current pulses. Although the firing patterns are commonly used to classify neuron types, whether the classified PHN neurons show differences in voltage response properties when stimulated with various types of current inputs remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the response properties of PHN neurons to various current stimuli using whole-cell recordings in rat brainstem slices. In response to pulse currents, neurons that exhibited oscillatory firing (OSC type) showed greater gain than other types, and neurons with a low firing rate (LFR type) showed strong overshooting firing responses to ramp currents. In response to triangular ramp currents, the late-spiking type and the LFR type showed a marked hysteretic frequency-current relationship. In response to sinusoidal currents, the gain was larger in the OSC type than in the other types, although the gain and phase of all types of neurons were similarly modulated by an increase in the input frequency. These findings suggest that distinct neuron types show distinct response properties, depending on the type of stimulus. These neuron types may represent the functionally different populations in the PHN.

Task, muscle and frequency dependent vestibular control of posture

The vestibular system is crucial for postural control; however there are considerable differences in the task dependence and frequency response of vestibular reflexes in appendicular and axial muscles. For example, vestibular reflexes are only evoked in appendicular muscles when vestibular information is relevant to postural control, while in neck muscles they are maintained regardless of the requirement to maintain head on trunk balance. Recent investigations have also shown that the bandwidth of vestibular input on neck muscles is much broader than appendicular muscles (up to a factor of 3). This result challenges the notion that vestibular reflexes only contribute to postural control across the behavioral and physiological frequency range of the vestibular organ (i.e., 0-20 Hz). In this review, we explore and integrate these task-, muscle- and frequency-related differences in the vestibular system's contribution to posture, and propose that the human nervous system has adapted vestibular signals to match the mechanical properties of the system that each group of muscles controls.

The vestibulo- and preposito-cerebellar cholinergic neurons of a ChAT-tdTomato transgenic rat exhibit heterogeneous firing properties and the expression of various neurotransmitter receptors

Cerebellar function is regulated by cholinergic mossy fiber inputs that are primarily derived from the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) and prepositus hypoglossi nucleus (PHN). In contrast to the growing evidence surrounding cholinergic transmission and its functional significance in the cerebellum, the intrinsic and synaptic properties of cholinergic projection neurons (ChPNs) have not been clarified. In this study, we generated choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-tdTomato transgenic rats, which specifically express the fluorescent protein tdTomato in cholinergic neurons, and used them to investigate the response properties of ChPNs identified via retrograde labeling using whole-cell recordings in brainstem slices. In response to current pulses, ChPNs exhibited two afterhyperpolarisation (AHP) profiles and three firing patterns; the predominant AHP and firing properties differed between the MVN and PHN. Morphologically, the ChPNs were separated into two types based on their soma size and dendritic extensions. Analyses of the firing responses to time-varying sinusoidal current stimuli revealed that ChPNs exhibited different firing modes depending on the input frequencies. The maximum frequencies in which each firing mode was observed were different between the neurons that exhibited distinct firing patterns. Analyses of the current responses to the application of neurotransmitter receptor agonists revealed that the ChPNs expressed (i) AMPA- and NMDA-type glutamate receptors, (ii) GABAA and glycine receptors, and (iii) muscarinic and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. The current responses mediated by these receptors of MVN ChPNs were not different from those of PHN ChPNs. These findings suggest that ChPNs receive various synaptic inputs and encode those inputs appropriately across different frequencies.

The vestibular system implements a linear-nonlinear transformation in order to encode self-motion

Early vestibular processing in macaque monkeys is inherently nonlinear and is optimized to detect specific features of self-motion.

Although it is well established that the neural code representing the world changes at each stage of a sensory pathway, the transformations that mediate these changes are not well understood. Here we show that self-motion (i.e. vestibular) sensory information encoded by VIIIth nerve afferents is integrated nonlinearly by post-synaptic central vestibular neurons. This response nonlinearity was characterized by a strong (∼50%) attenuation in neuronal sensitivity to low frequency stimuli when presented concurrently with high frequency stimuli. Using computational methods, we further demonstrate that a static boosting nonlinearity in the input-output relationship of central vestibular neurons accounts for this unexpected result. Specifically, when low and high frequency stimuli are presented concurrently, this boosting nonlinearity causes an intensity-dependent bias in the output firing rate, thereby attenuating neuronal sensitivities. We suggest that nonlinear integration of afferent input extends the coding range of central vestibular neurons and enables them to better extract the high frequency features of self-motion when embedded with low frequency motion during natural movements. These findings challenge the traditional notion that the vestibular system uses a linear rate code to transmit information and have important consequences for understanding how the representation of sensory information changes across sensory pathways.

Understanding how the coding of sensory information changes at different stages of sensory processing remains a fundamental challenge in systems neuroscience. Here we address this question by studying early sensory processing in vestibular pathways of monkeys, a system for which sensory stimuli are relatively easy to describe. Peripheral vestibular afferents detect and encode head motion in space to ensure posture and gaze is accurate and stable during everyday life. In this study, we show that central vestibular neurons nonlinearly integrate their afferent inputs, which helps explain the mechanisms that generate enhanced feature detection in sensory pathways. In addition, our results overturn conventional wisdom that early vestibular processing is linear, revealing a striking boosting nonlinearity that is a hallmark of the first central stage of vestibular processing. Studies from other sensory systems have shown that higher-order neurons can more efficiently detect specific features of sensory input, and that nonlinear transformations can increase this efficiency. We suggest that nonlinear integration of afferent input by central vestibular neurons extends their coding range and facilitates the detection of natural vestibular stimuli.

Reconsidering the role of neuronal intrinsic properties and neuromodulation in vestibular homeostasis

The sensorimotor transformations performed by central vestibular neurons constantly adapt as the animal faces conflicting sensory information or sustains injuries. To ensure the homeostasis of vestibular-related functions, neural changes could in part rely on the regulation of 2° VN intrinsic properties. Here we review evidence that demonstrates modulation and plasticity of central vestibular neurons’ intrinsic properties. We first present the partition of Rodents’ vestibular neurons into distinct subtypes, namely type A and type B. Then, we focus on the respective properties of each type, their putative roles in vestibular functions, fast control by neuromodulators and persistent modifications following a lesion. The intrinsic properties of central vestibular neurons can be swiftly modulated by a wealth of neuromodulators to adapt rapidly to temporary changes of ecophysiological surroundings. To illustrate how intrinsic excitability can be rapidly modified in physiological conditions and therefore be therapeutic targets, we present the modulation of vestibular reflexes in relation to the variations of the neuromodulatory inputs during the sleep/wake cycle. On the other hand, intrinsic properties can also be slowly, yet permanently, modified in response to major perturbations, e.g., after unilateral labyrinthectomy (UL). We revisit the experimental evidence, which demonstrates that drastic alterations of the central vestibular neurons’ intrinsic properties occur following UL, with a slow time course, more on par with the compensation of dynamic deficits than static ones. Data are interpreted in the framework of distributed processes that progress from global, large-scale coping mechanisms (e.g., changes in behavioral strategies) to local, small-scale ones (e.g., changes in intrinsic properties). Within this framework, the compensation of dynamic deficits improves over time as deeper modifications are engraved within the finer parts of the vestibular-related networks. Finally, we offer perspectives and working hypotheses to pave the way for future research aimed at understanding the modulation and plasticity of central vestibular neurons’ intrinsic properties.

Intrinsic physiology of identified neurons in the prepositus hypoglossi and medial vestibular nuclei

Signal processing in the vestibular system is influenced by the intrinsic physiological properties of neurons that differ in neurotransmitters and circuit connections. Do membrane and firing properties differ across functionally distinct cell types? This study examines the intrinsic physiology of neurons in the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) and nucleus prepositus hypoglossi (NPH) which express different neurotransmitters and have distinct axonal projections. NPH neurons expressing fluorescent proteins in glutamatergic, glycinergic, or GABAergic neurons were targeted for whole-cell patch recordings in brainstem slices obtained from transgenic mouse lines (YFP-16, GlyT2, and GIN). Recordings from MVN neurons projecting to the spinal cord, reticular formation, or oculomotor nucleus were obtained by targeting fluorescent neurons retrogradely labeled from tracer injections. Intrinsic physiological properties of identified neurons exhibited continuous variations but tended to differ between functionally defined cell types. Within the NPH, YFP-16 neurons had the narrowest action potentials and highest evoked firing rates and expressed high levels of Kv3.3 proteins, which speed repolarization. MVN neurons projecting to the spinal cord and oculomotor nucleus had similar action potential waveforms, but oculomotor-projecting neurons had higher intrinsic gains than those projecting to the spinal cord. These results indicate that intrinsic membrane properties are differentially tuned in MVN and NPH neurons subserving different functions.

In vivo conditions induce faithful encoding of stimuli by reducing nonlinear synchronization in vestibular sensory neurons

Previous studies have shown that neurons within the vestibular nuclei (VN) can faithfully encode the time course of sensory input through changes in firing rate in vivo. However, studies performed in vitro have shown that these same VN neurons often display nonlinear synchronization (i.e. phase locking) in their spiking activity to the local maxima of sensory input, thereby severely limiting their capacity for faithful encoding of said input through changes in firing rate. We investigated this apparent discrepancy by studying the effects of in vivo conditions on VN neuron activity in vitro using a simple, physiologically based, model of cellular dynamics. We found that membrane potential oscillations were evoked both in response to step and zap current injection for a wide range of channel conductance values. These oscillations gave rise to a resonance in the spiking activity that causes synchronization to sinusoidal current injection at frequencies below 25 Hz. We hypothesized that the apparent discrepancy between VN response dynamics measured in in vitro conditions (i.e., consistent with our modeling results) and the dynamics measured in vivo conditions could be explained by an increase in trial-to-trial variability under in vivo vs. in vitro conditions. Accordingly, we mimicked more physiologically realistic conditions in our model by introducing a noise current to match the levels of resting discharge variability seen in vivo as quantified by the coefficient of variation (CV). While low noise intensities corresponding to CV values in the range 0.04-0.24 only eliminated synchronization for low (<8 Hz) frequency stimulation but not high (>12 Hz) frequency stimulation, higher noise intensities corresponding to CV values in the range 0.5-0.7 almost completely eliminated synchronization for all frequencies. Our results thus predict that, under natural (i.e. in vivo) conditions, the vestibular system uses increased variability to promote fidelity of encoding by single neurons. This prediction can be tested experimentally in vitro.

Interactions between intrinsic membrane and emerging network properties determine signal processing in central vestibular neurons

Head/body motion-related sensory signals are transformed in second-order vestibular neurons (2°VN) into commands for appropriate motor reactions that stabilize gaze and posture during locomotion. In all vertebrates, these neurons form functional subgroups with different membrane properties and response dynamics, compatible with the necessity to process a wide range of motion-related sensory signals. In frog, 2°VN subdivide into two well-defined populations with distinctly different intrinsic membrane properties, discharge dynamics and synaptic response characteristics. Tonic 2°VN form low-pass filters with membrane properties that cause synaptic amplification, whereas phasic 2°VN form band-pass filters that cause shunting of repetitive inputs. The different, yet complementary, filter properties render tonic neurons suitable for integration and phasic neurons for differentiation and event detection. Specific insertion of phasic 2°VN into local vestibular networks of inhibitory interneurons reinforces the functional consequences of the intrinsic membrane properties of this particular cell type with respect to the processing of afferent sensory signals. Thus, the combination of matching intrinsic cellular and emerging network properties generates sets of neuronal elements that form adjustable, frequency-tuned filter components for separate transformation of the various dynamic aspects of head motion-related signals. The overall frequency tuning of central vestibular neurons differs between vertebrates along with variations in species-specific locomotor dynamics, thereby illustrating an ecophysiological plasticity of the involved neuronal elements. Moreover, separation into multiple, dynamically different subtypes at any neuronal level along the vestibulo-motor reflex pathways suggests an organization of head motion-related sensory-motor transformation in parallel, frequency-tuned channels.

Intrinsic membrane properties of central vestibular neurons in rodents

Numerous studies in rodents have shown that the functional efficacy of several neurotransmitter receptors and the intrinsic membrane excitability of central vestibular neurons, as well as the organization of synaptic connections within and between vestibular nuclei can be modified during postnatal development, after a lesion of peripheral vestibular organs or in vestibular-deficient mutant animals. This review mainly focuses on the intrinsic membrane properties of neurons of the medial vestibular nuclei of rodents, their postnatal maturation, and changes following experimental or congenital alterations in vestibular inputs. It also presents the concomitant modifications in the distribution of these neurons into different neuron types, which has been based on their membrane properties in relation to their anatomical, biochemical, or functional properties. The main points discussed in this review are that (1) the intrinsic membrane properties can be used to distinguish between two dominant types of neurons, (2) the system remains plastic throughout the whole life of the animal, and finally, (3) the intracellular calcium concentration has a major effect on the intrinsic membrane properties of central vestibular neurons.

Response linearity of alert monkey non-eye movement vestibular nucleus neurons during sinusoidal yaw rotation

Vestibular afferents display linear responses over a range of amplitudes and frequencies, but comparable data for central vestibular neurons are lacking. To examine the effect of stimulus frequency and magnitude on the response sensitivity and linearity of non-eye movement central vestibular neurons, we recorded from the vestibular nuclei in awake rhesus macaques during sinusoidal yaw rotation at frequencies between 0.1 and 2 Hz and between 7.5 and 210 degrees/s peak velocity. The dynamics of the neurons' responses across frequencies, while holding peak velocity constant, was consistent with previous studies. However, as the peak velocity was varied, while holding the frequency constant, neurons demonstrated lower sensitivities with increasing peak velocity, even at the lowest peak velocities tested. With increasing peak velocity, the proportion of neurons that silenced during a portion of the response increased. However, the decrease in sensitivity of these neurons with higher peak velocities of rotation was not due to increased silencing during the inhibitory portion of the cycle. Rather the neurons displayed peak firing rates that did not increase in proportion to head velocity as the peak velocity of rotation increased. These data suggest that, unlike vestibular afferents, the central vestibular neurons without eye movement sensitivity examined in this study do not follow linear systems principles even at low velocities.

Dynamics of glutamatergic synapses in the medial vestibular nucleus of the mouse

During sinusoidal rotation or translation, primary vestibular afferents modulate their discharge rates at the frequency of motion, effectively transmitting frequency-modulated (FM) signals. This study indicates a possible role for excitatory synapses in the processing of FM signals by vestibular brainstem pathways. Inputs to medial vestibular neurons were activated with FM pulse trains, while inhibitory transmission was blocked. The relationship between the presynaptic pulse rate and the postsynaptic membrane potential was found to be linear within a range of pulse rates. Short-term plasticity was a factor contributing to sensitivity at higher modulating frequencies. The amount of low-pass filtering was correlated with excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) shape, which affected temporal summation during the train. Although the NMDA component of glutamatergic transmission affected EPSP shape, it made only a minor contribution to the dynamics of synaptic transmission. Most responses showed low-pass filtering over the entire 1-16 Hz range. Overall, excitatory synapses in the medial vestibular nucleus contribute a low-pass filter to central vestibular processing and complement the high-pass filtering that is introduced both by peripheral vestibular dynamics and by the intrinsic dynamics of secondary vestibular neurons.

Relationship between afterhyperpolarization profiles and the regularity of spontaneous firings in rat medial vestibular nucleus neurons

Our previous in vivo and in vitro whole-cell patch-clamp recording studies demonstrated that neurons in the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) could be characterized on the basis of three electrophysiological properties: afterhyperpolarization (AHP) profile; firing pattern; and response pattern to hyperpolarizing current pulses. In the present study, to clarify which types of the classified MVN neurons correspond to neurons with regular or irregular firing, we investigated their spike discharge patterns using whole-cell patch-clamp recording in both in vivo and in vitro preparations. The discharge regularity was related to AHP profiles, and we found that: (i) the coefficient of variation (CV) of interspike intervals during spike discharges was smaller in neurons exhibiting AHP with a slow component [AHP(s+)] than in those without a slow component [AHP(s-)], or with a slow AHP component preceded by afterdepolarization (ADP) [AHP(s+) with ADP]; (ii) the blockade of Ca(2+)-dependent K(+) channels by 100 nm apamin abolished the slow component and increased the CV in neurons exhibiting AHP(s+); and (iii) the modulation of firing (firing gain) in response to ramp current was larger in neurons exhibiting AHP(s-) than in the other two neuronal types. These results suggest that neurons exhibiting AHP(s+) are regularly discharging neurons with small firing gains to stimulus, neurons exhibiting AHP(s+) with ADP are irregularly discharging neurons with small firing gains, and neurons exhibiting AHP(s-) are irregularly discharging neurons with large firing gains. The regular firing of neurons exhibiting AHP(s+) is attributed to the activation of apamin-sensitive Ca(2+)-dependent K(+) channels.

Implications of noise and neural heterogeneity for vestibulo-ocular reflex fidelity

The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) is characterized by a short-latency, high-fidelity eye movement response to head rotations at frequencies up to 20 Hz. Electrophysiological studies of medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) neurons, however, show that their response to sinusoidal currents above 10 to 12 Hz is highly nonlinear and distorted by aliasing for all but very small current amplitudes. How can this system function in vivo when single cell response cannot explain its operation? Here we show that the necessary wide VOR frequency response may be achieved not by firing rate encoding of head velocity in single neurons, but in the integrated population response of asynchronously firing, intrinsically active neurons. Diffusive synaptic noise and the pacemaker-driven, intrinsic firing of MVN cells synergistically maintain asynchronous, spontaneous spiking in a population of model MVN neurons over a wide range of input signal amplitudes and frequencies. Response fidelity is further improved by a reciprocal inhibitory link between two MVN populations, mimicking the vestibular commissural system in vivo, but only if asynchrony is maintained by noise and pacemaker inputs. These results provide a previously missing explanation for the full range of VOR function and a novel account of the role of the intrinsic pacemaker conductances in MVN cells. The values of diffusive noise and pacemaker currents that give optimal response fidelity yield firing statistics similar to those in vivo, suggesting that the in vivo network is tuned to optimal performance. While theoretical studies have argued that noise and population heterogeneity can improve coding, to our knowledge this is the first evidence indicating that these parameters are indeed tuned to optimize coding fidelity in a neural control system in vivo.

The dynamical response properties of neocortical neurons to temporally modulated noisy inputs in vitro

Cortical neurons are often classified by current-frequency relationship. Such a static description is inadequate to interpret neuronal responses to time-varying stimuli. Theoretical studies suggested that single-cell dynamical response properties are necessary to interpret ensemble responses to fast input transients. Further, it was shown that input-noise linearizes and boosts the response bandwidth, and that the interplay between the barrage of noisy synaptic currents and the spike-initiation mechanisms determine the dynamical properties of the firing rate. To test these model predictions, we estimated the linear response properties of layer 5 pyramidal cells by injecting a superposition of a small-amplitude sinusoidal wave and a background noise. We characterized the evoked firing probability across many stimulation trials and a range of oscillation frequencies (1-1000 Hz), quantifying response amplitude and phase-shift while changing noise statistics. We found that neurons track unexpectedly fast transients, as their response amplitude has no attenuation up to 200 Hz. This cut-off frequency is higher than the limits set by passive membrane properties (approximately 50 Hz) and average firing rate (approximately 20 Hz) and is not affected by the rate of change of the input. Finally, above 200 Hz, the response amplitude decays as a power-law with an exponent that is independent of voltage fluctuations induced by the background noise.

Activity of Vestibular Nuclei Neurons During Vestibular and Optokinetic Stimulation in the Alert Mouse

As a result of the availability of genetic mutant strains and development of noninvasive eye movements recording techniques, the mouse stands as a very interesting model for bridging the gap among behavioral responses, neuronal response dynamics studied in vivo, and cellular mechanisms investigated in vitro. Here we characterized the responses of individual neurons in the mouse vestibular nuclei during vestibular (horizontal whole body rotations) and full field visual stimulation. The majority of neurons (∼2/3) were sensitive to vestibular stimulation but not to eye movements. During the vestibular-ocular reflex (VOR), these neurons discharged in a manner comparable to the “vestibular only” (VO) neurons that have been previously described in primates. The remaining neurons [eye-movement-sensitive (ES) neurons] encoded both head-velocity and eye-position information during the VOR. When vestibular and visual stimulation were applied so that there was sensory conflict, the behavioral gain of the VOR was reduced. In turn, the modulation of sensitivity of VO neurons remained unaffected, whereas that of ES neurons was reduced. ES neurons were also modulated in response to full field visual stimulation that evoked the optokinetic reflex (OKR). Mouse VO neurons, however, unlike their primate counterpart, were not modulated during OKR. Taken together, our results show that the integration of visual and vestibular information in the mouse vestibular nucleus is limited to a subpopulation of neurons which likely supports gaze stabilization for both VOR and OKR.

Membrane properties of rat medial vestibular nucleus neurons in vivo

In our previous study using the whole-cell patch clamp technique combined with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis in rat brainstem slices, we demonstrated that the classification of neurons in the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) based on three membrane properties detected as voltage response properties to depolarizing and hyperpolarizing current pulses, namely afterhyperpolarization (AHP) profiles, firing patterns, and response patterns to hyperpolarizing current pulses, is useful for clarifying the relationship between membrane properties and cellular markers for excitatory and inhibitory neurons. These membrane properties characterized in vitro, however, have not been ascertained in vivo. To address this issue, we applied the whole-cell patch clamp recording method to in vivo preparations of young adult rats and investigated voltage responses to depolarizing and hyperpolarizing current pulses. We found three AHP profiles, three firing patterns, and three response patterns to hyperpolarizing current pulses in MVN neurons in vivo that were characterized in our previous in vitro study. The MVN neuronal populations classified on the basis of the three membrane properties in vivo were comparable to those obtained in vitro. This finding indicates that the classification of MVN neurons based on the three membrane properties is applicable to in vivo preparations.

Differential intrinsic response dynamics determine synaptic signal processing in frog vestibular neurons

Central vestibular neurons process head movement-related sensory signals over a wide dynamic range. In the isolated frog whole brain, second-order vestibular neurons were identified by monosynaptic responses after electrical stimulation of individual semicircular canal nerve branches. Neurons were classified as tonic or phasic vestibular neurons based on their different discharge patterns in response to positive current steps. With increasing frequency of sinusoidally modulated current injections, up to 100 Hz, there was a concomitant decrease in the impedance of tonic vestibular neurons. Subthreshold responses as well as spike discharge showed classical low-pass filter-like characteristics with corner frequencies ranging from 5 to 20 Hz. In contrast, the impedance of phasic vestibular neurons was relatively constant over a wider range of frequencies or showed a resonance at approximately 40 Hz. Above spike threshold, single spikes of phasic neurons were synchronized with the sinusoidal stimulation between approximately 20 and 50 Hz, thus showing characteristic bandpass filter-like properties. Both the subthreshold resonance and bandpass filter-like discharge pattern depend on the activation of an I(D) potassium conductance. External current or synaptic stimulation that produced impedance increases (i.e., depolarization in tonic or hyperpolarization in phasic neurons) had opposite and complementary effects on the responses of the two types of neurons. Thus, membrane depolarization by current steps or repetitive synaptic excitation amplified synaptic inputs in tonic vestibular neurons and reduced them in phasic neurons. These differential, opposite membrane response properties render the two neuronal types particularly suitable for either integration (tonic neurons) or signal detection (phasic neurons), respectively, and dampens variations of the resting membrane potential in the latter.

Transgenic mouse lines subdivide medial vestibular nucleus neurons into discrete, neurochemically distinct populations

The identification of neuron types within circuits is fundamental to understanding their relevance to behavior. In the vestibular nuclei, several classes of neurons have been defined in vivo on the basis of their activity during behavior, but it is unclear how those types correspond to neurons identified in slice preparations. By targeting recordings to neurons labeled in transgenic mouse lines, this study reveals that the continuous distribution of intrinsic parameters observed in medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) neurons can be neatly subdivided into two populations of neurons, one of which is GABAergic and the other of which is exclusively glycinergic or glutamatergic. In slice recordings, GABAergic neurons labeled in the EGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein)-expressing inhibitory neuron (GIN) line displayed lower maximum firing rates (<250 Hz) than glycinergic and glutamatergic neurons labeled in the yellow fluorescent protein-16 (YFP-16) line (up to 500 Hz). In contrast to cortical and hippocampal interneurons, GABAergic MVN neurons exhibited wider action potentials than glutamatergic (and glycinergic) neurons. Responses to current injection differed between the neurons labeled in the two lines, with GIN neurons modulating their firing rates over a smaller input range, adapting less during steady depolarization, and exhibiting less rebound firing than YFP-16 neurons. These results provide a scheme for robust classification of unidentified MVN neurons by their physiological properties. Finally, dye labeling in slices shows that both GABAergic and glycinergic neurons project to the contralateral vestibular nuclei, indicating that commissural inhibition is accomplished through at least two processing streams with differential input and output properties.

Oscillatory and Intrinsic Membrane Properties of Guinea Pig Nucleus Prepositus Hypoglossi Neurons In Vitro

Numerous models of the oculomotor neuronal integrator located in the prepositus hypoglossi nucleus (PHN) involve both highly tuned recurrent networks and intrinsic neuronal properties; however, there is little experimental evidence for the relative role of these two mechanisms. The experiments reported here show that all PHN neurons (PHNn) show marked phasic behavior, which is highly oscillatory in ∼25% of the population. The behavior of this subset of PHNn, referred to as type D PHNn, is clearly different from that of the medial vestibular nucleus neurons, which transmit the bulk of head velocity-related sensory vestibular inputs without integrating them. We have investigated the firing and biophysical properties of PHNn and developed data-based realistic neuronal models to quantitatively illustrate that their active conductances can produce the oscillatory behavior. Although some individual type D PHNn are able to show some features of mathematical integration, the lack of robustness of this behavior strongly suggests that additional network interactions, likely involving all types of PHNn, are essential for the neuronal integrator. Furthermore, the relationship between the impulse activity and membrane potential of type D PHNn is highly nonlinear and frequency-dependent, even for relatively small-amplitude responses. These results suggest that some of the synaptic input to type D PHNn is likely to evoke oscillatory responses that will be nonlinearly amplified as the spike discharge rate increases. It would appear that the PHNn have specific intrinsic properties that, in conjunction with network interconnections, enhance the persistent neural activity needed for their function.

Dynamics of the horizontal vestibuloocular reflex after unilateral labyrinthectomy: response to high frequency, high acceleration, and high velocity rotations

Loss of vestibular information from one labyrinth results in a marked asymmetry in the horizontal vestibuloocular reflex (VOR). The results of prior studies suggest that long-term deficits in VOR are more severe in response to rapid impulses than to sinusoidal head movements. The goal of the present study was to investigate the VOR following unilateral labyrinthectomy in response to different stimuli covering the full range of physiologically relevant head movements in macaque monkeys. The VOR was studied 1-39 days post-lesion using transient head perturbations (up to 12,000 degrees/s(2)), rapid rotations (up to 500 degrees/s), and sinusoidal rotations (up to 15 Hz). In response to rotations with high acceleration or velocity, both contra- and ipsilesional gains remained subnormal. VOR gains decreased as a function of increasing stimulus acceleration or velocity, reaching minimal values of 0.7-0.8 and 0.3-0.4 for contra and ipsilesional rotations, respectively. For sinusoidal rotations with low frequencies and velocities, responses to contralesional stimulation recovered within approximately 4 days. With increasing velocities and frequencies of rotation, however, the gains of contra- and ipsilesional responses remained subnormal. For each of the most challenging stimuli tested (i.e., 12,000 degrees/s(2 )transient head perturbations, 500 degrees/s fast whole-body rotations and 15 Hz stimulation) no significant compensation was observed in contra- or ipsilesional responses over time. Moreover, we found that gain of the cervico-ocular reflex (COR) remained negligible following unilateral loss indicating that neck reflexes did not contribute to the observed compensation. VOR responses elicited by both sinusoidal and transient rotations following unilateral labyrinthectomy could be described by the same mathematical model. We conclude that the compensated VOR has comparable response dynamics for impulses and sinusoidal head movements.

A nonlinear model for context-dependent modulation of the binocular VOR

Studies on the behavior of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) reveal that the monocular reflex gain is adjusted according to target position relative to each eye. In this paper, we present a nonlinear approach in modeling the viewing-context dependency of the slow-phase angular VOR. We show that including appropriate nonlinearities in the responses of premotor neurons in the brainstem is sufficient to account for the online modulation of the VOR with target position. This approach allows very complex behaviors in response to sensory patterns without resorting to currently assumed cortical computations. A local premotor topology with nonlinear properties has repercussions in the study of all ocular reflexes, since it implies context dependent dynamics in all behavioral responses (pursuit, optokinetic, VOR, saccades, etc.) that share this network. Local nonlinearities in spinal circuits could similarly influence the context dependence of other motor systems (such as stretch reflex modulation during rhythmic walking).

Physiological and Anatomical Properties of Mouse Medial Vestibular Nucleus Neurons Projecting to the Oculomotor Nucleus

Neurons in the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) vary in their projection patterns, responses to head movement, and intrinsic firing properties. To establish whether neurons that participate in the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) have distinct intrinsic physiological properties, oculomotor nucleus (OMN)–projecting neurons were identified in mouse brainstem slices by fluorescent retrograde labeling from the oculomotor complex and targeted for patch-clamp recordings. Such neurons were located in the magnocellular portion of the MVN contralateral to tracer injection, were mostly multipolar, and had soma diameters of around 20 μm. They fired spontaneous action potentials at rates higher than those of other MVN neurons and their spikes were of unusually short duration. OMN-projecting neurons responded to 1-s intracellular current injection with exceptionally high firing rates of >500 spikes/s. Their current–firing relationship was highly linear, with weak firing response adaptation during steady depolarization and little postinhibitory rebound firing after membrane hyperpolarization. Their firing responses were approximately in phase with sinusoidal current injection. The response dynamics of OMN-projecting neurons could be simulated with a simple integrate-and-fire model modified with the addition of small adaptation and rebound conductances. These findings indicate that the membrane properties of OMN-projecting neurons allow them to respond to head movements reliably and with high sensitivity but without substantially altering input dynamics.

Intrinsic membrane properties of vertebrate vestibular neurons: function, development and plasticity

Central vestibular neurons play an important role in the processing of body motion-related multisensory signals and their transformation into motor commands for gaze and posture control. Over recent years, medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) neurons and to a lesser extent other vestibular neurons have been extensively studied in vivo and in vitro, in a range of species. These studies have begun to reveal how their intrinsic electrophysiological properties may relate to their response patterns, discharge dynamics and computational capabilities. In vitro studies indicate that MVN neurons are of two major subtypes (A and B), which differ in their spike shape and after-hyperpolarizations. This reflects differences in particular K(+) conductances present in the two subtypes, which also affect their response dynamics with type A cells having relatively low-frequency dynamics (resembling "tonic" MVN cells in vivo) and type B cells having relatively high-frequency dynamics (resembling "kinetic" cells in vivo). The presence of more than one functional subtype of vestibular neuron seems to be a ubiquitous feature since vestibular neurons in the chick and frog also subdivide into populations with different, analogous electrophysiological properties. The ratio of type A to type B neurons appears to be plastic, and may be determined by the signal processing requirements of the vestibular system, which are species-variant. The membrane properties and discharge pattern of type A and type B MVN neurons develop largely post-natally, through the expression of the underlying ion channel conductances. The membrane properties of MVN neurons show rapid and long-lasting plastic changes after deafferentation (unilateral labyrinthectomy), which may serve to maintain their level of activity and excitability after the loss of afferent inputs.

Second-Order Vestibular Neurons Form Separate Populations With Different Membrane and Discharge Properties

Membrane and discharge properties were determined in second-order vestibular neurons (2°VN) in the isolated brain of grass frogs. 2°VN were identified by monosynaptic excitatory postsynaptic potentials after separate electrical stimulation of the utricular nerve, the lagenar nerve, or individual semicircular canal nerves. 2°VN were classified as vestibulo-ocular or -spinal neurons by the presence of antidromic spikes evoked by electrical stimulation of the spinal cord or the oculomotor nuclei. Differences in passive membrane properties, spike shape, and discharge pattern in response to current steps and ramp-like currents allowed a differentiation of frog 2°VN into two separate, nonoverlapping types of vestibular neurons. A larger subgroup of 2°VN (78%) was characterized by brief, high-frequency bursts of up to five spikes and the absence of a subsequent continuous discharge in response to positive current steps. In contrast, the smaller subgroup of 2°VN (22%) exhibited a continuous discharge with moderate adaptation in response to positive current steps. The differences in the evoked spike discharge pattern were paralleled by differences in passive membrane properties and spike shapes. Despite these differences in membrane properties, both types, i.e., phasic and tonic 2°VN, occupied similar anatomical locations and displayed similar afferent and efferent connectivities. Differences in response dynamics of the two types of 2°VN match those of their pre- and postsynaptic neurons. The existence of distinct populations of 2°VN that differ in response dynamics but not in the spatial organization of their afferent inputs and efferent connectivity to motor targets suggests that frog 2°VN form one part of parallel vestibulomotor pathways.

Membrane and firing properties of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons in the rat medial vestibular nucleus

In previous studies, neurons in the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) were classified mainly into 2 types according to their intrinsic membrane properties in in vitro slice preparations. However, it has not been determined whether the classified neurons are excitatory or inhibitory ones. In the present study, to clarify the relationship between the chemical and electrophysiological properties of MVN neurons, we explored mRNAs of cellular markers for GABAergic (glutamic acid decarboxylase 65, 67, and neuronal GABA transporter), glutamatergic (vesicular glutamate transporter 1 and 2), glycinergic (glycine transporter 2), and cholinergic neurons (choline acetyltransferase and vesicular acetylcholine transporter) expressed in electrophysiologically characterized MVN neurons in rat brain stem slice preparations. For this purpose, we combined whole cell patch-clamp recording analysis with single-cell reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. We examined the membrane properties such as afterhyperpolarization (AHP), firing pattern, and response to hyperpolarizing current pulse to classify MVN neurons. From the single-cell RT-PCR analysis, we found that GABAergic neurons consisted of heterogeneous populations with different membrane properties. Comparison of the membrane properties of GABAergic neurons with those of other neurons revealed that AHPs without slow components and a firing pattern with delayed spike generation (late spiking) were preferential properties of GABAergic neurons. On the other hand, most glutamatergic neurons formed a homogeneous subclass of neurons exhibiting AHPs with slow components, repetitive firings with constant interspike intervals (continuous spiking), and time-dependent inward rectification in response to hyperpolarizing current pulses. We also found a small number of cholinergic neurons with various membrane properties. These findings clarify the electrophysiological properties of excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the MVN, and the information about the preferential membrane properties may be useful for identifying GABAergic and glutamatergic MVN neurons electrophysiologically.

Unilateral labyrinthectomy modifies the membrane properties of contralesional vestibular neurons

Vestibular compensation after a unilateral labyrinthectomy leads to nearly complete disappearance of the static symptoms triggered by the lesion. However, the dynamic vestibular reflexes associated with head movements remain impaired. Because the contralesional labyrinth plays a prominent role in the generation of these dynamic responses, intracellular recordings of contralesional medial vestibular nucleus neurons (MVNn) were done after 1 mo of compensation. Their firing properties and cell type were characterized at rest, and their response dynamics investigated using step, ramp, and sinusoidal current stimulations. The sensitivity of the contralesional MVNn firing rates to applied current was increased, which, along with increased phase leads, suggests that significant changes in active conductances occurred. We found an increased proportion of the phasic type B neurons relative to the tonic type A neurons in the contralesional MVN. In addition, the remaining contralesional type A MVNn response dynamics tended to approach those of type B MVNn. Thus the contralesional MVNn in general showed more phasic response dynamics than those of control MVNn. Altogether, the firing properties of MVNn are differentially modified on the ipsilesional and contralesional sides of the brain stem 1 mo after unilateral labyrinthectomy. Ipsilesional MVNn acquire more "type A-like" tonic membrane properties, which would contribute to the stabilization of the spontaneous activity that recovers in the deafferented neurons during vestibular compensation. The bilateral increase in the sensitivity of MVNn and the acquisition of more "B-like" phasic membrane properties by contralesional MVNn should promote the restoration of the vestibular reflexes generated by the remaining, contralesional labyrinth.

Asymmetric responses to rotation at high frequencies in central vestibular neurons of the alert cat

The horizontal rotatory vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) stabilizes gaze by moving the eyes at an angular velocity proportional to head velocity, and can accomplish this for a broad range of frequencies and amplitudes of head motion. Rotation at 5 Hz and above may be processed differently than lower frequencies by the VOR network. We recorded discharges and calculated spike densities of a small sample of vestibular neurons in alert cats during low-velocity rotation at frequencies up to 8 Hz. At high frequencies, we found both vestibular-only (V-only) and eye-movement-sensitive (EM) cells that generated asymmetric output signals. Asymmetry was primarily of the cutoff type, i.e., changes in spike density were smallest for rotation in the inhibitory direction. Most cells were identified as secondary neurons. The mean spike density was 23 sp/s, which was lower than previously reported in vestibular neurons of monkeys. A few neurons had very high sensitivities, associated with phase-locking, to rotation at high frequencies. In general, vestibular neurons carried a high-pass-filtered version of rotational signals. When synaptic inputs from the vestibular commissure were quantified, we found that the immediate change in probability of firing due to commissural vestibular input was inversely correlated with the degree of high-pass filtering. At high frequencies, increased asymmetry and phase-locking occurred in some neurons. A small number of neurons responded with increased probability of firing to both directions of rotation. Together, these observations suggest that high frequencies of rotation may be encoded differently than low frequencies by central vestibular neurons in alert animals.

How spike generation mechanisms determine the neuronal response to fluctuating inputs

This study examines the ability of neurons to track temporally varying inputs, namely by investigating how the instantaneous firing rate of a neuron is modulated by a noisy input with a small sinusoidal component with frequency (f). Using numerical simulations of conductance-based neurons and analytical calculations of one-variable nonlinear integrate-and-fire neurons, we characterized the dependence of this modulation on f. For sufficiently high noise, the neuron acts as a low-pass filter. The modulation amplitude is approximately constant for frequencies up to a cutoff frequency, fc, after which it decays. The cutoff frequency increases almost linearly with the firing rate. For higher frequencies, the modulation amplitude decays as C/falpha, where the power alpha depends on the spike initiation mechanism. For conductance-based models, alpha = 1, and the prefactor C depends solely on the average firing rate and a spike "slope factor," which determines the sharpness of the spike initiation. These results are attributable to the fact that near threshold, the sodium activation variable can be approximated by an exponential function. Using this feature, we propose a simplified one-variable model, the "exponential integrate-and-fire neuron," as an approximation of a conductance-based model. We show that this model reproduces the dynamics of a simple conductance-based model extremely well. Our study shows how an intrinsic neuronal property (the characteristics of fast sodium channels) determines the speed with which neurons can track changes in input.

Static and dynamic membrane properties of lateral vestibular nucleus neurons in guinea pig brain stem slices

In vitro intracellular recordings of central vestibular neurons have been restricted so far to the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN). We performed intracellular recordings of large Deiters' neurons in the lateral vestibular nucleus (LVN) to determine their static and dynamic membrane properties, and compare them with those of type A and type B neurons identified in the MVN. Unlike MVN neurons (MVNn), the giant-size LVN neurons (LVNn) form a homogeneous population of cells characterized by sharp spikes, a low-amplitude, biphasic after-hyperpolarization like type B MVNn, but also an A-like rectification like type A MVNn. In accordance with their lower membrane resistance, the sensitivity of LVNn to current injection was lower than that of MVNn over a large range of frequencies. The main difference between LVNn and MVNn was that the Bode plots showing the sensitivity of LVNn as a function of stimulation frequency were flatter than those of MVNn, and displayed a weaker resonance. Furthermore, most LVNn did not show a gradual decrease of their firing rate modulation in the frequency range where it was observed in MVNn. LVNn synchronized their firing with the depolarizing phase of high-frequency sinusoidal current injections. In vivo studies have shown that the MVN would be mainly involved in gaze control, whereas the giant LVNn that project to the spinal cord are involved in the control of posture. We suggest that the difference in the membrane properties of LVNn and MVNn may reflect their specific physiological roles.

Long-term plasticity of ipsilesional medial vestibular nucleus neurons after unilateral labyrinthectomy

Unilateral labyrinthectomy results in oculomotor and postural disturbances that regress in a few days during vestibular compensation. The long-term (after 1 mo) consequences of unilateral labyrinthectomy were investigated by characterizing the static and dynamic membrane properties of the ipsilesional vestibular neurons recorded intracellularly in guinea pig brain stem slices. We compared the responses of type A and type B medial vestibular nucleus neurons identified in vitro to current steps and ramps and to sinusoidal currents of various frequencies. All ipsilesional vestibular neurons were depolarized by 6-10 mV at rest compared with the cells recorded from control slices. Both their average membrane potential and firing threshold were more depolarized, which suggests that changes in active conductances compensated for the loss of excitatory afferents. The afterhyperpolarization and discharge regularity of type B but not type A neurons were increased. All ipsilesional vestibular cells became more sensitive to current injections over a large range of frequencies (0.2-30 Hz), but this increase in sensitivity was greater for type B than for type A neurons. This was associated with an increase of the peak frequency of linear response restricted to type B neurons, from 4-6 to 12-14 Hz. Altogether, we show that long-term vestibular compensation involves major changes in the membrane properties of vestibular neurons on the deafferented side. Many of the static and dynamic membrane properties of type B neurons became more similar to those of type A neurons than in control slices, leading to an increase in the overall homogeneity of medial vestibular nucleus neurons.

The contribution of the intrinsic excitability of vestibular nucleus neurons to recovery from vestibular damage

Damage to the peripheral vestibular system results in a syndrome of ocular motor and postural abnormalities that partially and gradually abate over time in a process known as 'vestibular compensation'. The first, rapid, phase of compensation has been associated with a recovery of spontaneous resting activity in the ipsilateral vestibular nucleus complex (VNC), as a consequence of neuronal and synaptic plasticity. Increasing evidence suggests that normal VNC neurons in labyrinthine-intact animals, as well as ipsilateral VNC neurons following unilateral vestibular deafferentation (UVD), rely to some extent on intrinsic pacemaker activity provided by voltage-dependent conductances for their resting activity. Modification of this intrinsic pacemaker activity may underlie the recovery of resting activity that occurs in ipsilateral VNC neurons following UVD. This review summarizes and critically evaluates the 'intrinsic mechanism hypothesis', identifying discrepancies amongst the current evidence and suggesting experiments that may test it further.

Intrinsic firing dynamics of vestibular nucleus neurons

Individual brainstem neurons involved in vestibular reflexes respond to identical head movements with a wide range of firing responses. This diversity of firing dynamics has been commonly assumed to arise from differences in the types of vestibular nerve inputs to vestibular nucleus neurons. In this study we show that, independent of the nature of inputs, the intrinsic membrane properties of neurons in the medial vestibular nucleus substantially influence firing response dynamics. Hyperpolarizing and depolarizing inputs evoked a markedly heterogenous range of firing responses. Strong postinhibitory rebound firing (PRF) was associated with strong firing rate adaptation (FRA) and occurred preferentially in large multipolar neurons. In response to sinusoidally modulated input current, these neurons showed a pronounced phase lead with respect to neurons lacking strong PRF and FRA. A combination of the hyperpolarization-activated H current and slow potassium currents contributed to PRF, whereas FRA was predominantly mediated by slow potassium currents. An integrate-and-fire-type model, which simulated FRA and PRF, reproduced the phase lead observed in large neurons and showed that adaptation currents were primarily responsible for variations in response phase. We conclude that the heterogeneity of firing dynamics observed in response to head movements in intact animals reflects intrinsic as well as circuit properties.