The hippocampus plays an important role in spatial encoding and memory across various vertebrate species. In rodents, hippocampal neurons are particularly sensitive to a change in environmental geometry. Given the similarities in function between the mammalian and avian hippocampi, we aimed to measure whether enclosures varying in geometric shape (square and rectangle) can differentially activate hippocampal cells in the domestic chick (Gallus gallus domesticus). Chicks exposed to both a square and a rectangular arena exhibited a significantly higher neural activation (as measured by c-Fos expression) than those exposed twice to just the square or just the rectangle (both of which were significantly higher in acti- vation than a one-environment control group). For the first time in an avian species, we show that exposure to two enclosures of different geometric shape activates the hip- pocampus to a greater degree, suggesting a possible effect of spatial remapping.

Representation of environmental shape in the hippocampus of domestic chicks (Gallus gallus) / Mayer, U.; Bhushan, R.; Vallortigara, G.; Lee, S. A.. - In: BRAIN STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION. - ISSN 1863-2653. - 223:2(2018), pp. 941-953. [10.1007/s00429-017-1537-5]

Representation of environmental shape in the hippocampus of domestic chicks (Gallus gallus)

Mayer, U.;Bhushan, R.;Vallortigara, G.;Lee, S. A.
2018-01-01

Abstract

The hippocampus plays an important role in spatial encoding and memory across various vertebrate species. In rodents, hippocampal neurons are particularly sensitive to a change in environmental geometry. Given the similarities in function between the mammalian and avian hippocampi, we aimed to measure whether enclosures varying in geometric shape (square and rectangle) can differentially activate hippocampal cells in the domestic chick (Gallus gallus domesticus). Chicks exposed to both a square and a rectangular arena exhibited a significantly higher neural activation (as measured by c-Fos expression) than those exposed twice to just the square or just the rectangle (both of which were significantly higher in acti- vation than a one-environment control group). For the first time in an avian species, we show that exposure to two enclosures of different geometric shape activates the hip- pocampus to a greater degree, suggesting a possible effect of spatial remapping.
2018
2
Mayer, U.; Bhushan, R.; Vallortigara, G.; Lee, S. A.
Representation of environmental shape in the hippocampus of domestic chicks (Gallus gallus) / Mayer, U.; Bhushan, R.; Vallortigara, G.; Lee, S. A.. - In: BRAIN STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION. - ISSN 1863-2653. - 223:2(2018), pp. 941-953. [10.1007/s00429-017-1537-5]
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Mayer et al. Brain Stuct Funct- 2017 - Representation of environmental shape in the hippocampus of domestic chicks ( Gallus gallus ).pdf

Solo gestori archivio

Tipologia: Versione editoriale (Publisher’s layout)
Licenza: Tutti i diritti riservati (All rights reserved)
Dimensione 4.71 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
4.71 MB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri
Mayer_et_al_2018_BSAF.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Post-print referato (Refereed author’s manuscript)
Licenza: Tutti i diritti riservati (All rights reserved)
Dimensione 717.21 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
717.21 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11572/192085
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 11
  • Scopus 23
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 23
  • OpenAlex ND
social impact