Electrophysiological study of inferior olivary neurons in staggerer mutant mice

Extracellular recordings were obtained from neurons of the dorsal and medial accessory olives (DAO and MAO) in staggerer and normal mice. The anti- and orthodromic responses of these neurons to stimulation of the contralateral cerebellum were very similar in control and staggerer mice. On the other hand, the mean value of the spontaneous discharge of inferior olivary (I.O.) cells was significantly lower and the modal interval of the discharge was significantly shorter in staggerer than in control mice. These results demonstrate that I.O. neurons and climbing fibers are functional in staggerer mice, although their spontaneous discharge is somewhat different from that of I.O. neurons in control mice.