Role of otolith organs in geometric cue processing
Abstract
Recent studies have confirmed that rodents often rely on geometric cues while navigating, and that vestibular input is necessary for normal navigation. However, no study has examined the role of otolith organs in the use of geometric cues. The present study examined the navigation abilities of tilted mice, a strain of mice with a genetic defect that leads to dysfunctional otolith organs. tilted mice were compared to heterozygous control littermates in their ability to find a food reward within a rectangular arena with distinct proximal visual cues in each corner. Our results indicate that tilted mice did not perform significantly differently than control mice on most aspects of this task, indicating that they are able to process geometric cues similarly to control mice on this task. Signals from the otolith organs therefore do not appear to be crucial for geometric cue processing, although more research is needed in this area.
Degree
M.S.
Advisors
Yoder, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Biology|Behavioral psychology
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