• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.247-254
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• 1990

Chicken monocular head and eye optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) were observed by coil recordings after intravitreal administration of GABA antagonists (picrotoxin and bicuculline) into the opened and closed eye. Before injection of drugs the chicken displayed an OKN for T-N stimulation being more efficient in evoking this visuomotor reflex than for N-T stimulation. The injection of GABA antagonist into the opened eye provoked a decrease or disappearance of the head and eye OKN. On the other hand, the injection of GABA antagonist into the closed eye, the head and eye OKN augmented. Thus, GABA antagonist abolished the directional asymmetry of the head and eye OKN, indicating the involvement of GABAergic mechanisms in the inhibition of the N-T component of the monocular OKN.