Rostral projection pathway of the vestibular system.

Abstract : Electrical stimulation of the vestibular nerve excited neural activity which was tracked to the cerebral cortex in the cat. Recordings from the vestibular nuclei, midbrain, thalamus, and cortex revealed that cortical projection is achieved through second-order neurons which decussate in the region of the trapezoid, lie in a position between the lateral and medial lemnisci, and end in the thalamus near the boundaries of the medial geniculate body and the posterolateral ventral nucleus. Third-order neurons then project to the posterior bank of the anterior suprasylvian gyrus. The route of projection appeared to consist of a group of small and diffuse fibers which were difficult to identify.