Frequency tuning in the behaving mouse: different bandwidths for discrimination and generalization.

ABSTRACT: When faced with sensory stimuli, an organism may be required to detect very small differences in a physical parameter (discrimination), while in other situations it may have to generalize over many possible values of the same physical parameter. This decision may be based both on learned information and on sensory aspects of perception. In the present study we describe frequency processing in the behaving mouse using both discrimination and generalization as two key aspects of behaviour. We used a novel naturalistic behavioural apparatus designed for mice, the Audiobox, and paradigm contingencies that were identical for both auditory discrimination and generalization, the latter measured using latent inhibition. Mice learned to discriminate between frequencies that were an octave apart in

SUBMITTER: de Hoz L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3954732 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature