Influence of Temperature on the Sound-evoked Vestibular Potential

Abstract

The sound-evoked vestibular potential, measured with gross electrodes after fenestration of a lateral semicircular canal in pigeons, is delayed with respect to the acoustic stimulus. The influence of temperature of the vestibular system on this delay can most easily be explained by assuming chemically mediated transmission to take place between vestibular hair cells and their primary afferents. The possibility of electrotonic transmission, however, cannot be excluded.

Key Words:

• pigeon
• temperature
• vestibular system
• hair cell
• synapse