Did you know that rats dream about places they would like to visit? But don't take my word for it, there is research -- brain-based neuroscience no less! -- that shows this to be "True". The mass media version of this research is presented on various websites but here's the Discover magazine version: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2015/06/26/rats-dream-places/#.VY_azVK_7-o
The original research article was published in eLife; see: http://elifesciences.org/content/4/e06063 The nickel summary of the research involves (a) the assumption that activation of "place" neurons are the equivalent of spatial knowledge (though whether this knowledge takes the form of muscle programs, 2-D cognitive maps, 3-D imagined terrains, abstract representations without sensory content, verbal descriptions of what actions to take and where to do -- kind of questionable in rats, I know -- and so on is unclear) and (b) the activity of "place" neurons during sleep are doing the same things that they do when awake and engaged in purposive or goal directed behavior. Fred Skinner must be spinning in his grave. -Mike Palij New York University [email protected] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=45580 or send a blank email to leave-45580-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
