Neurophysiological Recording and Modeling Fast-response Timing of Granule and Golgi Cell Responses for Cerebellar Function

One main issue for cerebellum-based robotic models is to understand information processing in the cerebellar circuit in order to reproduce artificial networks able to perform analogous tasks in robotic control systems. Critical to this aim is the investigation of timing mechanisms in the cerebellar cortex. The signals processed during sensori-motor control evolve in time and there is reason to think that the cerebellum can exploit its neuronal and synaptic machinery to develop time-dependent computations. The timing issue is primarily important for the granular layer, in which signal enter the cerebellum to be processed appropriately.

The goal of this project is to investigate how neurons and synapses process time-dependent signals.

The main aspects that will be investigated are:

• Fast-response timing of granule cell – Golgi cell circuit
• Synaptic properties supporting the window mechanism
• Validate mathematical models using the properties