Postural and locomotor control in normal and vestibularly deficient mice

摘要: We investigated how vestibular information is used to maintain posture and control movement by studying vestibularly deficient mice (IsK−/− mutant). In these mutants, microscopy showed degeneration of the cristae semicircular canals maculae utriculi sacculi, while behavioural vestibulo-ocular reflex testing that function was completely absent. However, histology Scarpa's ganglia nerves normal in mutant mice, indicating presence intact central pathways. Using X-ray high-speed cineradiography, we compared resting postures locomotion patterns between (wild-type IsK+/−). The absence did not affect but had profound effects on locomotion. At rest, S-shaped, sagittal vertebral column same for wild-type mice. Both held head with atlanto-occipital joint fully flexed, cervico-thoracic junction cervical upright. Wild-type extended could walk a straight line. marked contrast, characterized circling episodes, during which maintained an S-shaped posture. Thus, required mandatory propose inputs are signal completion planned trajectory because continued rotating after changing heading direction. Our findings support hypothesis vertebrates limit number degrees freedom be controlled adopting just few possible skeletal configurations.