Rotation induced increases of glucose uptake in rat vestibular nuclei and vestibulocerebellum.

A new technique for the autoradiographic measurement of regional cerebral glucose consumption using tracer amounts of radioactive 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) was employed to study the effects of vestibular inputs on local cerebral glucose metabolism. Rats rotated in the vertical plane showed localized increases of glucose utilization in the vestibular nuclei and several areas of the cerebellum: flocculus, nodulus, ventral uvula, and accessory paraflocculus. The changes in the cerebellum occurred both in the neuronal perikarya-rich granular layer and the neuropil-rich molecular layer. Differential changes resulting from rotation occurred within the granular layer of the nodulus, where at least 7 separate longitudinal zones of differing glucose consumption were seen. This type of longitudinal organization has been described previously in other areas of the vermis with other techniques.