Development of neuronal activity of telencephalic structures during chicken embryogenesis

: Microelectrophysiological studies have been made on the development of neuronal activity in the structures of the striatal complex 17--21-day chick embryos. The density of spontaneously active neurones, their frequency parameters, the pattern of impulse activity and presentation of synaptic inputs for different modalities were investigated. The data obtained indicate the existence of significant heterochrony in the onset of neuronal activity in different parts of the telencephalon: the development of neuronal systems in phylogenetically more ancient structures, i.e. archi- and paliostriatum--takes place earlier than in younger formations--neo- and hyperstriatum. It is concluded that at final stages of embryogenesis the structure of neuronal activity of motor analyser undergoes deep functional changes which provide for the necessary level of plasticity of functional brain systems accounting for adaptive changes in the motor activity during embryonic development.