Multiple Neuron Recording in the Hippocampus on Freely-Moving Animals

摘要

Progress over the four years of the project with regard to the development ofmultineuronal recording systems was significant. Since this was one of the main objectives of the consortium of three laboratories it was a principal focus of research efforts throughout the project. The development has resulted in a system capable of simultaneous experimental control and acquisition of behavioral events and electrophysiological data of up to 8 experimental chambers from a single minicomputer host. Development of the DSP-based action potential waveform analyzer ('spike-sorter') allows detection and identification of up to 128 single unit waveforms recorded from any combination of 128 microwire electrodes. The use of shaped microwire arrays allowed for precise placement of electrodes in distinct anatomic regions of the brain. Development of these systems occupied the entire first two years of the project, and much of the third year as well. Much of the research effort in the final two years was directed toward completion of several studies which were in preliminary stages at the time of submission they are now near completion and have been published or prepared for publication. Specifically, these include the signal detection task and the DMTS task in which complex neurophysiological analyses have revealed striking new relationships to sensory processing strategies in the hippocampus and cortex. The accompanying report summarized these and other accomplishments throughout the period of the award.