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The Septohippocampal System and Path Integration

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The Behavioral Neuroscience of the Septal Region

Abstract

An extraordinary contribution of the septum is its influence in synchronizing the electrical activity of the hippocampal formation, a structure that comprises almost a third of the forebrain of the rat. The behavioral relationships of the synchronized patterns of activity, known as the theta rhythm or rhythmical slow activity (RSA), are well known. It is closely coupled to ongoing behavior (Vanderwolf 1969). RSA occurs during locomotion, but it is absent during immobility and many other movements that do not involve locomotion, including licking, chewing, and shivering. In general, the amplitude of theta rhythm is large during large body movements while its frequency increases with forceJvelocity of movement initiation (Whishaw and Vanderwolf 1973; Morris and Hagen 1983). During steady ongoing movements, the theta rhythm has a relatively constant amplitude and frequency that is independent of movement speed. The striking relationship between hippocampal RSA and movement would suggest that the function of the septohippocampal formation is related to movement.

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Authors
  1. Ian Q. Whishaw
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA, 95053-0333, USA

    Robert Numan

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Whishaw, I.Q. (2000). The Septohippocampal System and Path Integration. In: Numan, R. (eds) The Behavioral Neuroscience of the Septal Region. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-1302-4_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-1302-4_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

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