Source Paper
Accumulation of Hippocampal Place Fields at the Goal Location in an Annular Watermaze Task
Stig A. Hollup, Sturla Molden, James G. Donnett, May-Britt Moser, Edvard I. Moser
Journal of Neuroscience • 2001
Annular Watermaze Task
Objective: To explore plastic representation of information in spatially selective hippocampal pyramidal neurons by recording place field activity in rats trained to find a hidden platform at a constant location in an annular watermaze task
This is a Annular Watermaze Task protocol using rat as the model organism. The procedure involves 4 procedural steps, 2 equipment items. Extracted from a 2001 paper published in Journal of Neuroscience.
Model and subjects
rat
Study window
Estimated timing pending
Core workflow
Animal Training • Single-unit Recording • Probe Trials
Primary readouts
- Percentage of hippocampal pyramidal cells with peak activity around hidden platform location
- Place field accumulation near platform compared to equally large areas elsewhere in arena
- Place field firing patterns relative to platform position in room frame
- Relationship between place field activity and motor behavior (linear speed, angular speed, swim direction)
Key equipment and reagents
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Protocol Steps
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Animal Training
Rats were trained to find a hidden platform at a constant location in the annular watermaze task
Note: Training was hippocampal-dependent and involved learning a constant platform location
View evidence from paper
“rats trained to find a hidden platform at a constant location in a hippocampal-dependent annular watermaze task”
Single-unit Recording
Multiple single-unit recordings were made from hippocampal pyramidal cells while rats performed the watermaze task
Note: Recordings captured place-related firing patterns in hippocampal pyramidal cells
View evidence from paper
“we made multiple single-unit recordings in rats trained to find a hidden platform at a constant location”
Probe Trials
Probe trials were conducted without immediate escape opportunity to test place field representation
Note: Place fields accumulated near platform location even in probe trials without escape
View evidence from paper
“Place fields tended to accumulate near the platform, even in probe trials without immediate escape”
Variable Platform Training Control
Control group of rats were trained with a variable platform location to test training-dependent effects
Note: No accumulation of firing in any particular region observed in variable platform condition
View evidence from paper
“There was no accumulation of firing in any particular region in rats that were trained with a variable platform location”