Behavioral Correlates of Theta Bursts in medial Prefrontal Cortex

Theta coherence between the medial Prefrontal Cortex and the hippocampus have been found to be correlated with behavioral performance when the rats are completing spatial tasks. While theta happens in apparent bursts, previous studies haven't directly quantified the properties of those bursts and their behavioral relevance. In the present study, theta bursts are first identified over 6 rats when performing a spatial navigation task and quantified in terms of duration, height, number of cycles, and area under the curve. The spatial alignment of those bursts reveals that they happen more frequently at the well. Further comparison between the timing of theta bursts and rats' movement suggests a relationship between theta bursts and rats' direction change.