Neuronal signature of spatial decision-making during navigation by freely moving rats by using calcium imaging

Abstract

A challenge in spatial memory is understanding how place cell firing contributes to decision-making in navigation. A spatial recency task was created in which freely moving rats first became familiar with a spatial context over several days and thereafter were required to encode and then selectively recall one of three specific locations within it that was chosen to be rewarded that day. Calcium imaging was used to record from more than 1,000 cells in area CA1 of the hippocampus of five rats during the exploration, sample, and choice phases of the daily task. The key finding was that neural activity in the startbox rose steadily in the short period prior to entry to the arena and that this selective population cell firing was predictive of the daily changing goal on correct trials but not on trials in which the animals made errors. Single-cell and population activity measures converged on the idea that prospective coding of neural activity can be involved in navigational decision-making.

A modular, cost-effective, versatile, open-source operant box solution for long-term miniscope imaging, 3D tracking, and deep learning behavioral analysis

“…Miniaturized microscope (miniscope) imaging is an exciting new frontier in behavioral neuroscience. Miniscopes can be combined with implantable Gradient Index (GRIN) lenses [1] and can be used for recording hundreds of neurons in mice [2] , [3] , [4] , [5] , [6] , [7] , [8] , [9] , [10] , [11] , [12] and rats [13] , [14] , [15] , [16] longitudinally. Deep learning tools can be used to automatically identify neural associations with behaviors [6] for high impact in vivo behavioral neuroscience.…”

Advances in cellular resolution microscopy for brain imaging in rats

“…At the time of writing, the majority of published studies involving imaging of genetically encoded sensors in rats express sensors using direct injection of AAVs 35 , 36 , 63 , 94 – 98 [Figs. 2(d) and 2(e)].…”

“…These microscopes have been widely used in mice, but several groups have applied these miniature microscopes in rats 92 , 94 – 98 , 115 However, performance in these scopes is often optimized for mice. For example, early generations of UCLA microscopes have an FOV of ∼1 mm2.…”

Dynamic Gamma Modulation of Hippocampal Place Cells Predominates Development of Theta Sequences

“…By sweeping ahead from the past to the upcoming locations, theta sequences represent information about potential future paths that could guide goal-directed behaviors (Gupta, van der Meer, Touretzky, & Redish, 2012; Joshi et al, 2023; Zheng, Hwaun, Loza, & Colgin, 2021). These predictive theta sequences exhibited experience-dependent development when rats were exploring a novel environment or learning a novel goal location (Feng, Silva, & Foster, 2015; Gobbo et al, 2022; Wikenheiser & Redish, 2015; Zheng et al, 2021). However, how the hippocampal network modulated the development of theta sequences’ temporospatial-compressed organization remains incompletely understood.…”