The functional plasticity of cells of the paraventricular nucleus of surviving sections of the hypothalamus.

Stimulation of the supraoptic nucleus in surviving coronal sections of the hypothalamus elicited in the paraventricular nucleus the appearance of focal potentials reflecting the generation of action potentials of a population of cells. Repeat stimulation was accompanied by a decrease in the descending phase of the focal potentials. Tetanization of the supraoptic nucleus led to the appearance of an additional wave in the descending phase of the focal potentials which was maintained for 15 min. The data obtained attest to the functional plasticity of cells of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus.