Discharge Properties of Hippocampal Neurons during Performance of a Jump Avoidance Task
Open Access
- 2 July 2008
- journal article
- Published by Society for Neuroscience in Journal of Neuroscience
- Vol. 28 (27), 6773-6786
- https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.5329-07.2008
Abstract
We recorded single hippocampal cells while rats performed a jump avoidance task. In this task, a rat was dropped onto the metal floor of a 33 cm gray wooden cube and was given a mild electric shock if it did not jump up onto the box rim in <15 s. We found that many hippocampal pyramidal cells and most interneurons discharged preferentially at the drop, the jump, or on both events. By simultaneously recording the hippocampal EEG, we found that the discharge of most of the event-related pyramidal cells was modulated by the theta rhythm and moreover that discharge precessed with theta cycles in the same manner seen for pyramidal cells in their role as place cells. The elevations of firing rate at drop and jump were accompanied by increases in theta frequency. We conclude that many of the features of event-related discharge can be interpreted as being equivalent to the activity of place cells with firing fields above the box floor. Nevertheless, there are sufficient differences between expectations from place cells and observed activity to indicate that pyramidal cells may be able to signal events as well as location.This publication has 27 references indexed in Scilit:
- Hippocampal place cell assemblies are speed-controlled oscillatorsProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2007
- Spike phase precession persists after transient intrahippocampal perturbationNature Neuroscience, 2004
- Representation of Objects in Space by Two Classes of Hippocampal Pyramidal CellsThe Journal of general physiology, 2004
- Independent rate and temporal coding in hippocampal pyramidal cellsNature, 2003
- Spike train dynamics predicts theta-related phase precession in hippocampal pyramidal cellsNature, 2002
- Conjoint Control of Hippocampal Place Cell Firing by Two Visual StimuliThe Journal of general physiology, 2000
- Phase relationship between hippocampal place units and the EEG theta rhythmHippocampus, 1993
- Hippocampal electrical activity during long-continued avoidance performance: Effects of fatiguePhysiology & Behavior, 1974
- Studies on single neurons in dorsal hippocampal formation and septum in unrestrained rats: Part I. Behavioral correlates and firing repertoiresExperimental Neurology, 1973
- Reflexes involving triceps surae from the ankle joint of the catExperimental Neurology, 1973