Sodium Channels and Plasticity in Cerebellar Networks

Abstract

Scientists have attempted to unravel how the highly plastic cerebellum combines the information it receives, integrates it, and adjusts its synaptic strength accordingly, from the single cell to the behavioural level. With some exceptions most of the knowledge we have about the cerebellum comes from studying the mammalian cerebellum. Some questions that until now remain open may be answered better by comparing these data with studies in other animal groups. In a large part of this thesis the rat cerebellum will be compared with that of mormyrid fish. In chapter 2 cerebellar voltage-gated sodium channels are investigated. This chapter studies the expression patterns of sodium channe