Functional Relationship between the Vestibular Canals and the Extraocular Oblique Muscles

미노반규관(迷路半規管)과 외안사근(外眼斜筋)의 기능적(機能的) 관계(關係)에 관(關)하여

This experiment was designed to explore specific functional relationship between the vestibular canals and the extraocular oblique muscles by observing the isometric tension responeses of the muscles to the selected vestibular canal excitation. The vestibular excitation was simulated by either stimulation of the individual canal nerve or endolymphatic fluid displacement in each canal. Each canal nerve was subjected to square wave pulses with a monopolar wire electrode placed closely to the ampullary nerve endings for electrical stimulation, and a fine stainless cannula was introduced into the each canal toward the ampulla and a minute amount $(0.5{\sim}3.5\;microliter)$ of fluid was injected in or ejected out by means of a microsyringe connected to the cannula to produce ampullopetal or ampullofugal displacement of endolymphatic fluid. The superior oblique muscle was contracted by the excitation of homolateral canals and was relaxed by contralateral canals. On the contrary, the inferior oblique was contracted by the contralateral canals and was relaxed by the homolateral canals. Summation of excitatory and inhibitory canal effects from the bilateral vestibular system was demonstrable on the tension changes of the oblique muscles. Excitation of either dual or triple canals of the unilateral vestibular system also caused summation effect on the tension response of the oblique pair; thus multiple signals from the different ampullary receptors seems to be converged into the relevant ocular motor muclei. Since the superior and inferior obliques are known to receive their motor fibers from the contralateral trochlear nuclei and intermediate nuclei of the homolateral oculomotor complex respectively, the above experimental evidences indicate that the ocular motor nuclei for oblique muscles receive excitatory signals from the contralateral vestibular canals and inhibitory signals from the homolateral canals.