RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Discharge Properties of Hippocampal Neurons during Performance of a Jump Avoidance Task
JF The Journal of Neuroscience
JO J. Neurosci.
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP 6773
OP 6786
DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5329-07.2008
VO 28
IS 27
A1 Pierre-Pascal Lenck-Santini
A1 André A. Fenton
A1 Robert U. Muller
YR 2008
UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/28/27/6773.abstract
AB 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.