Purkinje cell responses to pontine stimulation CS during rabbit eyeblink conditioning

Previous studies have shown that stimuli typically used as CSs in eyeblink conditioning converge with US information in the cerebellum. Extracellular recordings of Purkinje cells have shown learning-related as well as stimulu s-related discharge patterns. Stimulation of a portion of the auditory CS p athway, the pontine nucleus, also serves as a highly effective CS. Using a short-latency pontine stimulation CS and air puff US, single Purkinje cell responses were recorded and compared to those elicited with an auditory sti mulus in previous work. Purkinje cell recordings in trained and untrained r abbits revealed patterns of responses very similar to those seen in rabbits trained to a tone CS or those given unpaired-tone/air-puff training. Simil arities included the proportion of stimulus-related and behavior-related ce ll; responses. However, fewer inhibitory responses were seen than in earlie r studies and these differences are considered in light of the differences between an extracellular stimulation CS and a peripherally administered aud itory CS. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.