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SUMMARY:The development of the neural code for space in the hippocampal fo
 rmation - Dr Tom Wills\, UCL
DTSTART:20130606T160000Z
DTEND:20130606T170000Z
UID:TALK45736@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Emma
DESCRIPTION:The hippocampal formation contains several classes of neuron w
 hich respond to an animal’s position and orientation in space. Acting as
  an integrated circuit\, these cell types (Place\, Grid\, Head Direction a
 nd Boundary cells) are thought to encode a neural map of the space through
  which the animal is moving.\nIn order to understand when and how this neu
 ral representation of space is created during development\, we recorded th
 e activity of single neurons from awake and behaving pre-weanling rat pups
 \, from postnatal day 12 (P12) onwards.\nWe found that Head Direction cell
 s emerge early in development (around P14)\, even before animals have begu
 n to explore their environment. Grid cells emerge several days later\, at 
 around P20\, roughly the same age that hippocampus-dependent spatial learn
 ing is first observed.\nBy contrast to the abrupt emergence of Head Direct
 ion and Grid cells\, the Place cell network gradually matures between 2 an
 d 6 weeks of age. However\, examples of adult-like Place cell firing can b
 e found even at P14.\nWe also investigated which inputs could support stab
 le Place cell firing at these young ages. We found that Boundary cells exi
 st from at least P17 onwards\, and that at this age\, the boundaries of th
 e recording arena have an foundational role in stabilising the place cell 
 representation of space. 
LOCATION:MRC LMB: Klug Seminar Room 2A180
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