Proximal CA1 20–40 Hz power dynamics reflect trial-specific information processing supporting nonspatial sequence memory

Abstract

The hippocampus is known to play a critical role in processing information about temporal context. However, it remains unclear how hippocampal oscillations are involved, and how their functional organization is influenced by connectivity gradients. We examined local field potential activity in CA1 as rats performed a nonspatial odor sequence memory task. We found that odor sequence processing epochs were characterized by distinct spectral profiles and proximodistal CA1 gradients of theta and 20–40 Hz power than track running epochs. We also discovered that 20–40 Hz power was predictive of sequence memory performance, particularly in proximal CA1 and during the plateau of high power observed in trials in which animals had to maintain their decision until instructed to respond. Altogether, these results provide evidence that dynamics of 20–40 Hz power along the CA1 axis are linked to trial-specific processing of nonspatial information critical to order judgments and are consistent with a role for 20–40 Hz power in gating information processing.

Keywords

• hippocampus
• episodic memory
• brain rhythms
• olfactory learning
• transverse axis
• CA1