Vertical Barrier Obstruction Study
Objective: To investigate the response of hippocampal place cells to changes in the environment, specifically examining how vertical barriers (opaque and transparent) affect previously recorded place cell firing fields
This is a Vertical Barrier Obstruction Study protocol using Not explicitly stated as the model organism. The procedure involves 6 procedural steps, 4 equipment items, 4 materials. Extracted from a 1987 paper published in Journal of Neuroscience.
Model and subjects
Not explicitly stated • Not explicitly stated • unknown • Not explicitly stated • Not explicitly stated
Study window
Estimated timing pending
Core workflow
Establish baseline place cell recordings in standard cylinder • Place opaque vertical barrier to bisect firing field • Record place cell activity with opaque barrier in place
Primary readouts
- Place cell firing field abolishment or attenuation with opaque barrier
- Place cell firing field abolishment or attenuation with transparent barrier
- Comparison of effects between opaque and transparent barriers
- Firing field size, shape, and radial position changes
Key equipment and reagents
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Protocol Steps
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Establish baseline place cell recordings in standard cylinder
Record place cell firing patterns in the standard small cylinder apparatus with uniform gray interior, white cue card, and unobstructed floor
Note: Standard apparatus dimensions: 76 cm diameter, 51 cm high walls. White cue card runs full height and occupies 100 degrees of arc.
View evidence from paper
“The standard apparatus used was a cylinder, 76 cm in diameter, with walls 51 cm high. The interior was uniformly gray except for a white cue card that ran the full height of the wall and occupied 100 degrees of arc.”
Place opaque vertical barrier to bisect firing field
Set up an opaque barrier into the previously unobstructed floor of the small cylinder positioned to bisect a previously recorded firing field
Note: Barrier occupies only a small fraction of the firing field area. Barrier is anchored with lead base.
View evidence from paper
“When an opaque barrier was set up to bisect a previously recorded firing field, in almost all cases the firing field was nearly abolished. This was true even though the barrier occupied only a small fraction of the firing field area.”
Record place cell activity with opaque barrier in place
Record place cell firing patterns with the opaque barrier bisecting the previously recorded firing field
Note: Observe effects on firing field size, shape, and position
View evidence from paper
“When an opaque barrier was set up to bisect a previously recorded firing field, in almost all cases the firing field was nearly abolished.”
Replace opaque barrier with transparent barrier
Remove the opaque barrier and place a transparent barrier in the same position bisecting the previously recorded firing field
Note: Transparent barrier is anchored with lead base, same as opaque barrier
View evidence from paper
“A transparent barrier was effective as the opaque barrier in attenuating firing fields.”
Record place cell activity with transparent barrier in place
Record place cell firing patterns with the transparent barrier bisecting the previously recorded firing field
Note: Compare effects to opaque barrier condition
View evidence from paper
“A transparent barrier was effective as the opaque barrier in attenuating firing fields.”
Control: Test lead base alone
Place the lead base anchor in the apparatus without any barrier attached to verify it does not affect place cell firing
Note: Confirms that observed effects are due to barrier presence, not the anchor mechanism
View evidence from paper
“The lead base used to anchor the vertical barriers did not affect place cell firing.”