title: Response characteristics of cerebellar nuclear cells in the pigeon.
abstract: In birds, the output system of the cerebellum, the cerebellar nuclei, has not yet been studied electrophysiologically. Recordings from nuclear cells during electrical stimulation of the radial nerve revealed a uniform type of response consisting of an initial inhibition followed by a clear cut excitation. Responses with an initial excitation were rare. Response patterns and latencies suggest an input from Purkinje cells of the cerebellar cortex and a lack of collateral input from spinocerebellar pathways. This points to a fundamental difference from cerebellar nuclear cells in mammals, in which collateral input provides a prominent excitatory response under comparable experimental conditions.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Tierphysiologie, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Necker
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Neumann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002529:Cerebellar Nuclei / Q000166:cytology*; D010856:Columbidae / Q000502:physiology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D008322:Mammals / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D011826:Radial Nerve / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D013045:Species Specificity