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Traditionally, the function of the hippocampus (HPC) has been viewed in unitary terms, but there is growing evidence that the HPC is functionally differentiated along its septotemporal axis. Lesion studies in rodents and functional brain imaging in humans suggest a preferential role for the septal HPC in spatial learning and a preferential role for the temporal HPC in anxiety. To better enable cross-species comparison, we present an in vivo amperometric technique that measures changes in brain tissue oxygen at high temporal resolution in freely-moving rats. We recorded simultaneously from the dorsal (septal; dHPC) and ventral (temporal; vHPC) HPC during two anxiety tasks and two spatial tasks on the radial maze. We found a double-dissociation of function in the HPC, with increased vHPC signals during anxiety and increased dHPC signals during spatial processing. In addition, dHPC signals were modulated by spatial memory demands. These results add a new dimension to the growing consensus for a differentiation of HPC function, and highlight tissue oxygen amperometry as a valuable tool to aid translation between animal and human research.

Original publication

DOI

10.1111/j.1460-9568.2010.07497.x

Type

Journal article

Journal

Eur J Neurosci

Publication Date

01/2011

Volume

33

Pages

322 - 337

Keywords

Animals, Anxiety, Behavior, Animal, Electrochemical Techniques, Hippocampus, Humans, Male, Maze Learning, Memory, Neuropsychological Tests, Oxygen, Rats, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Space Perception