Regeneration of the mammalian central vestibular pathway using the rat as animal model

Regeneration of the mammalian central vestibular system was examined in rat . The lateral vestibulospinal tract (LVST) of infant rat was transected uni laterally at the level of C1-3. After a postoperative interval of several w eeks, the LVST was examined by injecting an anterograde tracer (wheat germ agglutinin-conjugated horseradish peroxidase) into the lateral vestibular n ucleus (LVN) and a retrograde tracer (Fast Blue) into the lumbar enlargemen t. More than half of the rats showed successful regeneration, indicating de finite plasticity in the mammalian central vestibular system.