A Temporal Mechanism for Generating the Phase Precession of Hippocampal Place Cells

The phase relationship between the activity of hippocampal place cells and the hippocampal theta rhythm systematically precesses as the animal runs through the region in an environment called the place field of the cell. We present a minimal biophysical model of the phase precession of place cells in region CA3 of the hippocampus. The model describes the dynamics of two coupled point neurons--namely, a pyramidal cell and an interneuron, the latter of which is driven by a pacemaker input. Outside of the place field, the network displays a stable, background firing pattern that is locked to the theta rhythm. The pacemaker input drives the interneuron, which in turn activates the pyramidal cell. A single stimulus to the pyramidal cell from the dentate gyrus, simulating entrance into the place field, reorganizes the functional roles of the cells in the network for a number of cycles of the theta rhythm. In the reorganized network, the pyramidal cell drives the interneuron at a higher frequ...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2000
• Where: JCNS
• Authors: Amitabha Bose, Victoria Booth, Michael Recce
• Keywords: JCNS 2000, Phase Precession, Place Field, Pyramidal Cells