Source Paper
Information, certainty, and learning
Harris JA, Gallistel CR
eLife • 2026
Magazine Entry Recording
Objective: Recording photo-beam interruptions by entry into the magazine during conditioning sessions to measure conditioned responding
This is a Magazine Entry Recording protocol using Rat as the model organism. The procedure involves 4 procedural steps, 4 equipment items, 2 materials. Extracted from a 2026 paper published in eLife.
Model and subjects
Rat • Sprague Dawley • Female • 8-10 weeks • 176
Study window
Estimated timing pending
Core workflow
Setup infrared detection system • Record magazine entries during CS presentation • Record magazine entries during ITI
Primary readouts
- Photo-beam interruptions during CS
- Photo-beam interruptions during ITI
- Cumulative response rates
- Response rate during CS vs overall context rate
Key equipment and reagents
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Protocol Steps
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Setup infrared detection system
Position infrared LED and sensor inside the food magazine to detect rat entries
View evidence from paper
“infrared LED and sensor located just inside the magazine to record entries”
Record magazine entries during CS presentation
Automatically record photo-beam interruptions when rats enter the magazine during conditioned stimulus presentations
View evidence from paper
“Photo-beam interruptions by entry into the magazine were recorded during each CS”
Record magazine entries during ITI
Record photo-beam interruptions during the 10-second period immediately before CS onset
View evidence from paper
“recorded during each ITI (recorded during the 10 s period immediately before CS onset)”
Automatic data collection
Use computers and relays to automatically control experimental events and record magazine entry data
View evidence from paper
“Experimental events were controlled and recorded automatically by computers and relays”