Trying to understand the cerebellum well enough to build one

The development of an increasingly detailed computer simulation of the cerebellum is briefly described. Specific and relatively direct evaluation of the performance of this simulation is made possible by the straightforward way in which pavlovian eyelid conditioning engages the cerebellum. Inputs to the simulation are based on recordings of mossy fiber and climbing fiber responses to the stimuli used in eyelid conditioning, and the output of the simulation can be evaluated with respect to the extensively characterized behavioral properties of eyelid conditioning. Because construction of the simulation has been guided by a strong aversion to errors of commission, both failures and successes of the simulation have proven informative. The behavior of the simulation related to the inhibitory nucleo-olivary feedback connection and spontaneous activity of climbing fibers is described. A prediction of the simulation concerning extinction is confirmed by experiment.