Electrophysiological Identification of Neurones and Neural Networks in the Perioesophageal Ganglion Complex of the Marine Pulmonate Mollusc, Onchidium Verruculatum

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Abstract
1. The marine pulmonate mollusc, Onchidium verruculatum, has many giant neurones in the perioesophageal ganglion complex. 2. Twenty of them were visually identified by their relative locations, sizes, and pigmentations under the dissecting microscope, and electrophysiologically by their input-output patterns. 3. The relationship among and between the giant neurones was investigated on 190 pairs of neurones, arbitrarily paired from 20 neurones, by intrasomatic recordings. 4. There were two excitatory and two inhibitory direct connexions. There were two pairs receiving synchronous excitatory inputs and two pairs receiving synchronous inhibitory inputs. Two pairs of neurones showed a similar activity pattern and one pair showed an alternating activity pattern. 5. A tentative neural network was constructed for one of identified neurones, r-PP 1 in the r-PPG (right pleuroparietal ganglion). 6. The results and the firing patterns of neurones are discussed.