Experimentally determined chaotic phase synchronization in a neuronal system

Mathematical analysis of the subthreshold oscillatory properties of inferio r olivary neurons in vitro indicates that the oscillation is nonlinear and supports low dimensional chaotic dynamics. This property leads to the gener ation of complex functional states that can be attained rapidly via phase c oherence that conform to the category of "generalized synchronization." Fun ctionally, this translates into neuronal ensemble properties that can suppo rt maximum functional permissiveness and that rapidly can transform into ro bustly determined multicellular coherence.