Electrophysiological Recordings in Behaving Animals

Abstract

The electrophysiological measurement of changes in synaptic strength taking place during the acquisition of new motor and cognitive abilities, and during other physiological conditions, is an excellent tool for studying the role of different receptors and/or ion channels in the nervous system of alert behaving experimental animals. Many different molecular and subcellular components, including their complex mechanisms, have specific roles and underlie the physiological basis of learning and memory phenomena. In the past few years, various sophisticated methods (genetically manipulated animals, light stimulation systems, pharmacokinetic protocols, etc.) have emerged as valuable tools to be considered together with the more classic in vivo electrophysiological techniques. Recent methodological and technical (use of multiple recording microelectrodes, telemetric recordings, etc.) improvements will help to refine the level of collected results. In addition, new mathematical routines and modeling procedures are also exponentially increasing the level of data analysis and representation. The aim of all these classic and contemporary procedures is, as far as possible, to study motor and cognitive processes in vivo. The present chapter will deal with different stimulating and recording procedures that can be used in alert behaving mammals during the acquisition, retrieval, or extinction of new abilities.