[Receptive field plasticity of a polyfunctional neuron in mollusks]

Plastic properties of the receptive field of the identified LPa3 neurone were studied on a semi-intact snail preparation. Mantle area representing part of the vast receptive field of the LPa3 neurone of the left parietal ganglion consists of three zones. The right part of the mantle is innervated by the right pallial and anal nerves; the former transmits to the CNS the short latency rapidly extinguishing component of the synaptic response, while the anal nerve--the slowly extinguishing long latency component. The left part of the mantle is innervated by the LPa3 neurone through the left pallial nerve which transmits the multi-component slowly extinguishing excitatory synaptic potential. The pneumostome area is innervated by the right pallial and anal nerves which transmit a non-extinguishing response. Thus, different areas of the mantle are linked to the LPa3 neurone by a system of parallel channels differing by their plastic properties.