Question

In one study described in your textbook, researchers recorded the firing of individual neurons in hippocampal cells that record spatial memory, while mice ran a maze to get a food reward, ate the reward, and the settled down for a relaxed grooming session. What conclusion did the researchers draw from the hippocampal firing patterns?

Answer 1

Researchers concluded that the hippocampus is essential for spatial memory and memory consolidation, with neurogenesis in this region playing a role in learning new tasks.

Step-by-step explanation:

The conclusion that researchers drew from the hippocampal firing patterns observed in a study where mice ran a maze to get a food reward, ate the reward, and then settled down for a relaxed grooming session, was that the hippocampus plays a critical role in spatial memory and memory consolidation. Studies showing how lesions in the hippocampi of rats led to memory impairments reinforce the hippocampus's role in memory processes such as object recognition and spatial navigation. Additional research has indicated that neurogenesis in the hippocampus, the birth of new neurons, continues into adulthood and is associated with the ability to learn new tasks.

Both physical activity and certain medications can promote neurogenesis, while stress can have the opposite effect, diminishing the hippocampus's ability to form new memories and learn.