Unit Activity of Ganglionic and Medullary Second Order Neurones in the Eel Lateral Line System

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Abstract
Unitary spike activity has been investigated in the ganglion and the central terminational field of the R. lat. post. N. X. No dorsal root reflex is observed in the intracranial rootlet. There is an excitatory coupling between ganglionic cells in the N. lat. post. which can lead to multiple firing in these cells by stimulation of afferents in the trunk nerve. Second order neurones were identified by their location and variable spike latency to peripheral nerve stimulation. These cells are driven by a large number of active primary afferents from extended parts (order of magnitude 15 cm) of the trunk lateral line. The statistics of spontaneous discharges were studied and compared with that of primary afferent nerve fibres. About 1/3 of secondary neurones are either excited or inhibited from the contralateral lateral line nerve. No evidence was found for inhibition from ipsilateral lateral line sensory organs.