[Development of synaptic responses and membrane conductances of neurons of intracerebellar nuclei in the rat].

A study of synaptic responses and membrane conductances of intracerebellar nuclei neurones, from thick sagittal cerebellar slices maintained in vitro, has shown that 1) functional excitatory synapses are present on these neurones from birth, probably due to climbing and/or mossy fibre collaterals; 2) functional inhibitory synapses, due to monosynaptic projections of Purkinje cell axons onto intracerebellar nuclei, are present as early as postnatal day 2; 3) immature nuclear neurones display not only fast sodium conductances, but also slow calcium conductances which persist until weaning time together with fast sodium spikes.