Source Paper
Theta Rhythms Coordinate Hippocampal–Prefrontal Interactions in a Spatial Memory Task
Matthew W Jones, Matthew A Wilson
PLoS Biology • 2005
Source Paper
Matthew W Jones, Matthew A Wilson
PLoS Biology • 2005
Decision-making requires the coordinated activity of diverse brain structures. For example, in maze-based tasks, the prefrontal cortex must integrate spatial information encoded in the hippocampus with mnemonic information concerning route and task rules in order to direct behavior appropriately. Using simultaneous tetrode recordings from CA1 of the rat hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex, we show that correlated firing in the two structures is selectively enhanced during behavior that recruits spatial working memory, allowing the integration of hippocampal spatial information into a broader, decision-making network. The increased correlations are paralleled by enhanced coupling of the two structures in the 4- to 12-Hz theta-frequency range. Thus the coordination of theta rhythms may constitute a general mechanism through which the relative timing of disparate neural activities can be controlled, allowing specialized brain structures to both encode information independently and to interact selectively according to current behavioral demands.
Objective: To train rats to perform a continuous spatial-alternation task with forced-turn and choice epochs, and record neural activity from mPFC and CA1 during task performance to analyze neuronal firing patterns and theta phase relationships
This is a Continuous Spatial-Alternation Task protocol using rat as the model organism. The procedure involves 13 procedural steps, 2 equipment items, 2 materials. Extracted from a 2005 paper published in PLoS Biology.
Model and subjects
rat • Long-Evans • male • 2-6 months • 6
Study window
~2 week study window
Core workflow
Animal preparation and food deprivation • Spatial-alternation task training • Training to asymptotic performance
Primary readouts
Key equipment and reagents
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Six male Long-Evans rats aged 2-6 months were mildly food-deprived to maintain body weight at 85% of free-feeding weight
Note: Food deprivation used to motivate task performance
“Six male Long-Evans rats (2–6 mo) were mildly food-deprived (to 85% of free-feeding body weight)”
Rats trained to run continuous spatial-alternation task on narrow 6 cm track. Each trial comprised forced-turn epoch (rat forced to turn in one direction) followed by choice epoch (rat must alternate direction to win reward). Forced-turn direction varied randomly with no more than three consecutive trials in one direction. Relative location of forced-turn end varied between animals
Note: Analysis epochs excluded reward points and turning points. Running constrained to overlapping linear trajectories using narrow track
“trained to run a continuous spatial-alternation task... Each trial comprised distinct sample and test epochs. The contingency was set such that, for example, a rat forced to turn to his right during the forced-turn epoch had to choose a left-hand turn to win reward during the subsequent choice epoch. Forced-turn direction was varied randomly, with no more than three consecutive trials in one direction. The relative location of the forced-turn end of the maze was varied between animals. Every effort was made to constrain running to overlapping linear trajectories by using a narrow track (6 cm)”
Rats trained until reaching asymptotic performance criterion of at least 80% choice-correct on two consecutive days
Note: Criterion must be met before surgical implantation
“Each rat was trained to asymptotic performance (two consecutive days of at least 80% choice-correct) over a period of 12–14 d before surgery”
Rats implanted with arrays of adjustable tetrode recording electrodes. Primary targets: mPFC at +3.2 mm anterior, +0.6 mm lateral from bregma, and ipsilateral dorsal CA1 at -3.6 mm anterior, +2.2 mm lateral. In two rats, additional tetrodes targeted to ventral CA1 at -6.3 mm anterior, +6.2 mm lateral
Note: Surgery performed after reaching asymptotic performance. Local reference electrodes placed in white matter or cortical regions without spiking activity
“implanted with arrays of adjustable tetrode recording electrodes targeted to the mPFC (+3.2 mm, +0.6 mm from bregma) and ipsilateral dorsal CA1 (−3.6 mm, +2.2 mm). In two rats, tetrodes were also targeted to ventral CA1 (−6.3 mm, +6.2 mm)”
Differential recordings made using Keithley Instruments DAS-1802HC acquisition boards. Action potentials sampled at 31.25 kHz per channel, filtered between 600 Hz and 6 kHz. Continuous LFP sampled at 3.125 kHz per channel, filtered between 1 and 475 Hz
Note: Local reference electrodes positioned in overlying white matter (for dorsal CA1), adjacent white matter (for ventral CA1), or proximal cortical region without spiking activity 2.4-2.7 mm below pial surface (for mPFC)
“Differential recordings of extracellular action potentials (sampled at 31.25 kHz per channel, filtered between 600 Hz and 6 kHz) and continuous LFP (sampled at 3.125 kHz per channel, filtered between 1 and 475 Hz) were made using Keithley Instruments acquisition boards (DAS-1802HC)”
Electrolytic lesions performed at end of each experiment to establish tetrode tip positions
Note: Lesion positions used to verify recording electrode locations
“Electrolytic lesions established tetrode tip positions at the end of each experiment”
Extracellular action potentials assigned to individual neurons by off-line, manual clustering using Xclust software
Note: Manual clustering performed after data collection
“Action potentials were assigned to individual neurons by off-line, manual clustering using Xclust software (M. A. Wilson)”
Firing with inter-spike intervals between 2 and 15 ms defined as bursting (minimum inter-burst interval 150 ms). Complex Spike Index calculated combining bursting measure with measure of amplitude reduction in later spikes within bursts
Note: Complex Spike Index used to identify complex spike cells
“Firing with inter-spike intervals of between 2 and 15 ms was defined as bursting (minimum inter-burst interval 150 ms). The Complex Spike Index combined a measure of bursting with a measure of the likelihood that spikes later in bursts were smaller in amplitude than spikes earlier in bursts”
Spatial information calculated according to Skaggs et al. method. Analysis restricted to neurons firing at least 50 spikes in both choice and forced-turn epochs
Note: Analyses compared firing on central three-quarters section of central arm in two running directions
“Spatial information was calculated according to Skaggs et al. Most analyses compared firing on the central three-quarters section of the central arm in the two running directions, and were restricted to neurons that fired at least 50 spikes in both choice and forced-turn epochs”
LFPs down-sampled to 600 Hz and band pass filtered between 4 and 12 Hz. Maxima and minima detected with thresholds established to extract theta peak and trough times. Only peaks or troughs greater than one standard deviation from mean amplitude included. Each spike assigned theta phase between 0-360° by linear interpolation relative to enveloping peak (180°) and trough (0° or 360°) times
Note: Approximately 63% ± 6.6% of maxima included during choice epochs, 61% ± 9.5% during forced-turn epochs
“LFPs were down-sampled (to 600 Hz) and band pass filtered between 4 and 12 Hz, then maxima and minima detected and thresholds established to extract theta peak and trough times. Only peaks or troughs greater than one standard deviation from the mean amplitude of the filtered LFP were included (63% ± 6.6% of all maxima during choice epochs, 61% ± 9.5% during forced-turn epochs)”
Rayleigh test of uniformity used to assess theta phase distributions for deviations from circular uniform distribution. Circular statistics calculated according to Fisher
Note: Tests whether spike timing relative to theta phase is non-random
“The Rayleigh test of uniformity was used to assess the resulting phase distributions for deviations from the circular uniform distribution. Circular statistics were calculated according to Fisher”
Multi-taper spectral analysis used to calculate power spectra and coherence for LFP data. Technique uses short-time-window Fourier analysis to reduce artifacts from non-stationary elements. Significance of trial-by-trial coherence magnitude during central-arm crossings calculated according to Jarvis and Mitra with coherence values greater than 2/√[(number of trials) × (number of tapers)] considered significant at p = 0.05
Note: Multi-taper approach assumes data stationarity within short sliding time-windows
“Multi-taper spectral analysis was used to calculate power spectra and coherence for LFP data. This technique takes advantage of short-time-window Fourier analysis to reduce artifacts caused by non-stationary elements in the data (since data can be assumed to be stationary within the short sliding time-windows). The significance of trial-by-trial magnitude of the coherence during central-arm crossings was calculated according to Jarvis and Mitra”
Statistical comparisons between forced-turn, choice-correct, and choice-error conditions performed on two groups of animal means using Wilcoxon rank sum tests
Note: Data presented as mean ± standard error of the mean
“Statistical comparisons between forced-turn, choice-correct, and choice-error conditions were performed on the two groups of animal means using Wilcoxon rank sum tests”
This section explains what the experiment is doing, which readouts matter, what the data artifacts usually look like, and how the analysis should flow from raw capture to reported result.
To train rats to perform a continuous spatial-alternation task with forced-turn and choice epochs, and record neural activity from mPFC and CA1 during task performance to analyze neuronal firing patterns and theta phase relationships
Objective
To train rats to perform a continuous spatial-alternation task with forced-turn and choice epochs, and record neural activity from mPFC and CA1 during task performance to analyze neuronal firing patterns and theta phase relationships
Subjects
From paperrat • Long-Evans • male • 2-6 months
Sample count
From paper6
Cohort notes
From paperMildly food-deprived to 85% of free-feeding body weight
Animal preparation and food deprivation
Spatial-alternation task training (12-14 days)
Training to asymptotic performance (12-14 days total training period)
Surgical implantation of tetrode arrays
Choice accuracy (% correct on choice epochs)
From paperAction potentials clustered manually using Xclust software.
Artifact type
Endpoint measurements summarized by group or timepoint
Comparison focus
Compare endpoint magnitude between groups, timepoints, or both
Neuronal firing rates during forced-turn and choice epochs
From paperAction potentials clustered manually using Xclust software.
Artifact type
Endpoint measurements summarized by group or timepoint
Comparison focus
Compare endpoint magnitude between groups, timepoints, or both
Bursting behavior and Complex Spike Index
From paperAction potentials clustered manually using Xclust software.
Artifact type
Endpoint measurements summarized by group or timepoint
Comparison focus
Compare endpoint magnitude between groups, timepoints, or both
Spatial information content of neurons
From paperAction potentials clustered manually using Xclust software.
Artifact type
Endpoint measurements summarized by group or timepoint
Comparison focus
Compare endpoint magnitude between groups, timepoints, or both
Choice accuracy (% correct on choice epochs)
From paperRaw artifact
Per-sample or per-animal endpoint measurements collected during the experiment
Processed artifact
Structured table with cleaned measurements ready for comparison
Final reported form
Summary statistics and between-group or across-timepoint comparisons
Neuronal firing rates during forced-turn and choice epochs
From paperRaw artifact
Per-sample or per-animal endpoint measurements collected during the experiment
Processed artifact
Structured table with cleaned measurements ready for comparison
Final reported form
Summary statistics and between-group or across-timepoint comparisons
Bursting behavior and Complex Spike Index
From paperRaw artifact
Per-sample or per-animal endpoint measurements collected during the experiment
Processed artifact
Structured table with cleaned measurements ready for comparison
Final reported form
Summary statistics and between-group or across-timepoint comparisons
Spatial information content of neurons
From paperRaw artifact
Per-sample or per-animal endpoint measurements collected during the experiment
Processed artifact
Structured table with cleaned measurements ready for comparison
Final reported form
Summary statistics and between-group or across-timepoint comparisons
Acquisition
Collect raw experimental outputs with enough metadata to preserve sample identity, condition, and timing.
Preprocessing / cleaning
Action potentials clustered manually using Xclust software.
Scoring or quantification
Quantify the primary readouts for this experiment: Choice accuracy (% correct on choice epochs); Neuronal firing rates during forced-turn and choice epochs; Bursting behavior and Complex Spike Index; Spatial information content of neurons.
Statistical comparison
Statistical method not yet structured for this page.
Reporting output
Report representative outputs alongside summary comparisons for Choice accuracy (% correct on choice epochs), Neuronal firing rates during forced-turn and choice epochs, Bursting behavior and Complex Spike Index, Spatial information content of neurons.
Source links and direct wording from the methods section for validation and deeper review.
Citation
Matthew W Jones et al. (2005). Theta Rhythms Coordinate Hippocampal–Prefrontal Interactions in a Spatial Memory Task. PLoS Biology
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Keithley Instruments • DAS-1802HC
M. A. Wilson
M. A. Wilson
MathWorks, Natick, Massachusetts, United States
1 item with ReplicateScience direct pages
Estimated: $6,595.00
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