Mathematical analysis of the subthreshold oscillatory properties of inferior olivary neurons in vitro indicates that the oscillation is nonlinear and supports low dimensional chaotic dynamics. This property leads to the generation of complex functional states that can be attained rapidly via phase coherence that conform to the category of ``generalized synchronization.'' Functionally, this translates into neuronal ensemble properties that can support maximum functional permissiveness and that rapidly can transform into robustly determined multicellular coherence.