The origin of thermally evoked vestibular potential.

The origin of the thermally evoked ampullary nerve action potential was searched using isolated frog posterior semicircular canal (PSC). The PSC was placed in the dish with 2 chambers separating endo- and perilymphatic fluid. Cooling stimulus was given by approximating the iced bar to the ampulla, and induced action potential (CAP) was recorded. When only the endolymph contained Ca2+, no CAP was evoked, while, the perilymph contained Ca2+, CAP was observed. These findings were comparable between with and without cupula. When only the endolymph contained tobramycin (TOB), the spike count did not change. However, when TOB was added into the perilymph, the spike count decreased according to concentration of TOB. When TOB was washed out, the spike count recovered. These findings were also comparable between with and without cupula. The above results indicate that thermally evoked vestibular potentials possibly originate in the hair cell.