An Auditory Conditioned Stimulus Modulates Unconditioned Stimulus-Elicited Neuronal Activity in the Cerebellar Anterior Interpositus and Dentate Nuclei During Nictitating Membrane Response Conditioning in Rabbits

The effects of the presentation of an auditory conditioned stimulus (CS) on unconditioned stimulus (US)-elicited neuronal activity in the anterior interpositus (AIPN) and dentate (DN) nuclei of the cerebellum were investigated during the initial stages of classical conditioning of the nictitating membrane (NM) response in rabbits. In Experiment 1, a 500-ms CS (but not a 30-ms CS) facilitated US-elicited single-unit activity in the AIPN and depressed US-elicited activity in the DN during training. In Experiment 2, lesions of the AIPN but not of the DN prevented acquisition of conditioned NM responses. The results are interpreted within the framework of a model of classical conditioning that proposes that conditioned neuronal activity that underlies behavioral plasticity develops from the modulation of US-elicited neuronal activity by the CS.