An experimental study on the frog semicircular canal--functions of cupula and vestibular ganglion.

An isolated frog posterior semicircular canal was stimulated either by mechanical or thermal endolymphatic flow. Ampullofugal stimulation induced action potentials from the posterior ampullary nerve. These potentials adapted in six to eight seconds. While mechanical endolymphatic flow was induced, the cupula maintained its shift position without swinging back to the neutral point. This indicates that adaptation is mainly of sensorineural origin. When the canal was stimulated by a piece of frozen Ringer's solution, an increase in spike discharge was observed. The responses from the vestibular nerve trunk were compared to those from the posterior ampullary nerve. The time course of the response was shorter and the maximum spike count was smaller in the recordings from the vestibular nerve trunk.