Neuronal activity in the nucleus accumbens and hippocampus in rats during formation of seeking behavior in a radial maze.

Seeking behavior of rats in a radial maze with asymmetric reward was studied by means of synchronous recording of cell activity in the hippocampus and ventral striatum. The synchrony of cell activity in the hippocampus and nucleus accumbens was modulated by spatial position and reward; the important role in this synchronization can be played by theta rhythm. This is in line with the anatomical and physiological data on the convergence of hippocampal spatially organized positional and reward value information inputs from the amygdala and ventral segmental area to n. accumbens.