[Dynamics of the activity of cerebellar Purkinje cells induced by changes in the duration of complex spikes].

The relationship between complex and simple spikes of Purkinje cells from vermis cerebelli of guinea pigs has been investigated. The ratio of complex spikes innervated by the processes of one and the same liana-like fiber ("twins cells") has also been studied. Three types of complex spikes in each Purkinje cell from vermis cerebelli of guinea pigs (n = 44) have been differentiated, which differ in duration. It was found that long (10.28 +/- 0.27 ms) complex spikes in all cells lead to a more pronounced inhibition of simple spikes than complex spikes of short duration (6.08 +/- 0.25 ms). It was shown that the dynamics of duration of complex spikes coordinates with changes in the activity of some Purkinje cells and their local groups: (a) complex spikes generated before the onset of pauses of simple spikes are longer than complex spikes generated before the termination of pauses; (b) in "twins cells" innervated by one liana-like fiber, the properties of complex spikes change simultaneously; (c) The degree of synchronism of complex spikes in closely-spaced (to 150 microm) Purkinje cells receiving the inputs from different liana-like fibers increases with their duration. A possible functional role and the mechanisms of generation of complex spikes are discussed.