The intrinsic cardiac nervous system has been classically considered to contain only parasympathetic efferent postganglionic neurones which receive inputs from medullary parasympathetic efferent preganglionic neurones. In such a view, intrinsic cardiac ganglia act as simple relay stations of parasympathetic efferent neuronal input to the heart, the major autonomic control of the heart purported...

Sturm JJ, Weisz CJ. Hyperactivity in the medial olivocochlear efferent system is a common feature of tinnitus and hyperacusis in humans. J Neurophysiol 114: 2551–2554, 2015. First published February 18, 2015; doi:10.1152/jn.00948.2014.—Tinnitus and hyperacusis are common, burdensome sources of morbidity with a high rate of co-occurrence. Knudson et al. (J Neurophysiol 112: 3197–3208, 2014) demo...

This article discusses the features of the structural-functional organization of the visual distance perception which, in contrast to other distant sensory systems, has not only afferent but also efferent part--the frontal visual field and, smooth and stripy muscles of the eye which accordingly support the visual function. The increasing importance of the efferent component of the visual system...

Electrophysiological recordings were made from afferent units of the octopus angular acceleration receptor system during the electrical stimulation of efferent axons to this system. Of the afferent units examined, 93 % changed their activity in response to stimulation of the efferent axons. During efferent stimulation 77 % of the afferent units decreased their activity. The magnitude of the inh...

The neural mechanisms underlying the ability of human listeners to recognize speech in the presence of background noise are still imperfectly understood. However, there is mounting evidence that the medial olivocochlear system plays an important role, via efferents that exert a suppressive effect on the response of the basilar membrane. The current paper presents a computer modeling study that ...

In common with other acoustico-lateralis receptors, the hair cells of the lateral-line organs of fishes and amphibia receive efferent innervation. Ultrastructural studies have shown that efferent synapses similar to those found at the base of the hair cells in the cochlea (Engstrom & Wersall, 1958) and vestibular system (Wersall, 1956) exist also at the base of hair cells in lateral-line organs...

UNLABELLED Motion sickness presents a challenge due to its high incidence and unknown pathogenesis although it is a known fact that a functioning vestibular system is essential for the perception of motion sickness. Recent studies show that the efferent vestibular neurons contain calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). It is a possibility that the CGRP immunoreactivity (CGRPi) fibers of the eff...

Spontaneous electrical activity generated by developing sensory cells and neurons is crucial for the maturation of neural circuits. The full maturation of mammalian auditory inner hair cells (IHCs) depends on patterns of spontaneous action potentials during a 'critical period' of development. The intrinsic spiking activity of IHCs can be modulated by inhibitory input from cholinergic efferent f...

The sensory hair-cells of the acoustico-lateralis system of sense organs have been shown, in the majority of cases, to receive efferent innervation. Studies on the ultrastructure of the sensory epithelium in the inner ear (Wersall, 1956; Engstrom, 1958) gave the first clear demonstration of vesiculated nerve terminals in synaptic contact with the membranes of hair-cells. From their similarity w...

Background: Myosin 7a is an actin-binding motor protein involved in the formation of hair-cell stereocilia both cochlea and vestibular system. Mutations myosin are linked to congenital hearing loss present 50% Type-1 Usher syndrome patients who suffer from progressive system dysfunction. Methods: often used visualise sensory hair cells due it...