Stochastic Noise Application for the Assessment of Medial Vestibular Nucleus Neuron Sensitivity In Vitro

Summary

Galvanic vestibular stimulation in humans exhibits improvements in vestibular function. However, it is unknown how these effects occur. Here, we describe how to apply sinusoidal and stochastic electrical noise and evaluate appropriate stimulus amplitudes in individual medial vestibular nucleus neurons in the C57BL/6 mouse.

Abstract

Galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) has been shown to improve balance measures in individuals with balance or vestibular impairments. This is proposed to be due to the stochastic resonance (SR) phenomenon, which is defined as application of a low-level/subthreshold stimulus to a non-linear system to increase detection of weaker signals. However, it is still unknown how SR exhibits its positive effects on human balance. This is one of the first demonstrations of the effects of sinusoidal and stochastic noise on individual neurons. Using whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology, sinusoidal and stochastic noise can be applied directly to individual neurons in the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) of C57BL/6 mice. Here we demonstrate how to determine the threshold of MVN neurons in order to ensure the sinusoidal and stochastic stimuli are subthreshold and from this, determine the effects that each type of noise has on MVN neuronal gain. We show that subthreshold sinusoidal and stochastic noise can modulate the sensitivity of individual neurons in the MVN without affecting basal firing rates.

Introduction

The vestibular (or balance) system controls our sense of balance by integrating auditory, proprioceptive, somatosensory and visual information. Degradation of the vestibular system has been shown to occur as a function of age and can result in balance deficits^1,2. However, therapies targeting the functioning of the vestibular system are scarce.

Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation (GVS) has been shown to improve balance measures, autonomic functioning and other sensory modalities within humans^3,4,5

Protocol

All experimental protocols described were approved by the University of Sydney Animal Ethics Committee (approved protocol number: 2018/1308).

1. Animals

NOTE: Mice were obtained from the Australian Rodent Centre (ARC; Perth, Australia) and held at the Medical Foundation Building Animal Facility at the University of Sydney.

1. Maintain the mice on a normal 12 h light/dark cycle with environmental enrichment.
2. Use male and female C57BL/6 mice (3–5 weeks old) for all experiments.

2. Preparation of Solutions

1. Prepare 1 L of artificial ce....

Results

Initial recordings can provide information about the effects that sinusoidal and stochastic noise have on basal firing rates of individual MVN neurons and how the stimuli effect the gain of neurons. Figure 2 shows that neither sinusoidal nor stochastic noise change basal firing rates of MVN neurons when compared to control (no noise) recordings. This information is crucial for determining the threshold of the individual neurons. During the application of galvanic vestibul.......

Discussion

The effects of galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) on the vestibular system has been highlighted in vivo in humans^3,13,23, guinea pigs¹⁴, rodents¹⁸ and non-human primates²⁴. However, none of these studies have assessed the direct impact of electrical noise on the sensitivity of individual neurons in the vestibular system. Here we demonstrate the first in v.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
CaCl	Scharlau	CA01951000	Used for ACSF and sACSF
D-(+)-Glucose	Sigma	G8270	Used for ACSF and sACSF
EGTA	Sigma	E0396-25G	Used for K-based intracellular solution
HEPES	Sigma	H3375-25G	Used for K-based intracellular solution
KCl	Chem-supply	PA054-500G	Used for ACSF, sACSF and intracellular solution
K-gluconate	Sigma	P1847-100G	Used for K-based intracellular solution
Mg-ATP	Sigma	A9187-500MG	Used for K-based intracellular solution
MgCl	Chem-supply	MA00360500	Used for ACSF and sACSF
Na3-GTP	Sigma	G8877-100MG	Used for K-based intracellular solution
NaCl	Chem-supply	SO02270500	Use for ACSF and intracellular solution
NaH2PO4•2H2O	Ajax	AJA471-500G	Used for ACSF and sACSF
NaHCO3	Sigma	S5761-1KG	Used for ACSF and sACSF
Sucrose	Chem-supply	SA030-500G	Used for sACSF
Isoflurane	Henry Schein	1169567762	Used for anaesthetising mice
EQUIPMENT
Borosilicate glass capillaries	Warner instruments	GC150T-7.5	1.5 mm OD, 1.16 mm ID, 7.5 cm length
Data acquisition software	Axograph		Used for electrophysiology and analysis
Friedmen-Pearson Rongeurs	World precision instruments	14089	Used for dissection
Micropipette puller	Narishige	PP-830	Used for micropipette
Multiclamp amplifier	Axon instruments	700B	Used for electrophysiology
pH meter	Sper scientific	860033	Used for internal solution
Standard pattern scissors	FST	14028-10	Used for dissection
Sutter micromanipulator	Sutter	MP-225/M	Used for electrophysiology
Upright microscope	Olympus	BX51WI	Used for electrophysiology
Vibratome	Leica	VT1200	Used for slicing brain tissue