Rossier J, Kaminsky Y, Schenk F, Bures J
Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic.
Behav Neurosci. 2000 Apr;114(2):273-84.
This study describes a task that combines random searching with goal directed navigation. The testing was conducted on a circular elevated open field (80 cm in diameter), with an unmarked target area (20 cm in diameter) in the center of 1 of the 4 quadrants. Whenever the rat entered the target area, the computerized tracking system released a pellet to a random point on the open field. Rats were able to learn the task under light and in total darkness, and on a stable or a rotating arena. Visual information was important in light, but idiothetic information became crucial in darkness. Learning of a new position was quicker under light than in total darkness on a rotating arena. The place preference task should make it possible to study place cells (PCs) when the rats use an allothetic (room frame) or idiothetic (arena frame) representation of space and to compare the behavioral response with the PCs' activity.
本研究描述了一项将随机搜索与目标导向导航相结合的任务。测试在一个圆形高架开放场地（直径80厘米）上进行，在四个象限中的一个象限的中心有一个无标记的目标区域（直径20厘米）。每当大鼠进入目标区域时，计算机化跟踪系统就会在开放场地的随机点释放一颗小丸。大鼠能够在光照和完全黑暗的环境下，以及在稳定或旋转的竞技场上学习该任务。视觉信息在光照条件下很重要，但自身运动信息在黑暗中变得至关重要。在旋转竞技场上，大鼠在光照下学习新位置比在完全黑暗中更快。位置偏好任务应该能够在大鼠使用空间的异源性（房间框架）或自身运动性（竞技框架）表征时研究位置细胞（PCs），并将行为反应与PCs的活动进行比较。
