Effects of ethanol on Purkinje cells recorded from cerebellar slices

The effects of ethanol on rat cerebellar Purkinje cells were studied using brain slice preparations. The spontaneous activity of Purkinje cells exhibited either steady or cyclic firing patterns. The steady units were generally inhibited by ethanol, but some units were excited by low doses. The cycling units showed a dose-related decrease in firing rate and the duration of cyclic firing. The data indicate that ethanol in concentrations which produce behavioral effects is primarily inhibitory to cerebellar Purkinje cells.