The Role of Cerebellar Flocculus in Adaptive Gain Control of Ocular Reflexes

Abstract

Sustained oscillation of the head of an alert animal with inphase or outphase combination of screen oscillation in the horizontal plane induced marked adaptive changes in the gain of the horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex (HVOR). These changes are assumed to be a prototype of motor learning by the cerebellar flocculus (1). Several lines of experimental evidence, using rabbits or monkeys as experimental material, have consistently suggested that the plastic changes of neuronal activities of a particular group of floccular Purkinje cells (H-cells) are the sources of the HVOR adaptation.

Key Words:

• vestibulo-ocular reflex
• flocculus
• learning
• plasticity
• long-term depression