Convergence of Different Sensory Modalities in a Single Cell of Flocculus in Alert Cat

The response pattern of 109 floccular cells of alert, intact cat was examined during different proprioceptive, vestibular and visual tasks. In 62 neurons covergence of at least two sensory modalities could be confirmed. 14 of these cells responded to vestibular, visual and proprioceptive stimuli. Saccadic neurons responded to ipsi- and contralateral saccades, but with somewhat different latency and intensity indicating that the goal of the saccades are presumably coded into these neurons. The muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs were the most common site for afferentation and responses for these receptors were found in 12 neurons. The ipsilateral front limb was the most usual source for the afferentation. Thus, flocculus governs the visual and vestibular orientation reflexes by gathering different sensory information from a wide variety of receptor systems to modulate the output of these reflexes.