Operant conditioning of single-unit response patterns in visual cortex.
Unit responses to photic stimuli were studied in cat visual cortex. After the baseline response pattern of a cell was determined, conditioning trials were given during which reinforcement was contingent upon increased firing during a selected segment of the poststimulus interval. Density of reinforcement increased substantially in about half the cells studied; significant increases in firing occurred within, but not outside, the criterion segment.
D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D003216:Conditioning, Operant; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000502:physiology; D007103:Immobilization; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012653:Self Stimulation; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000502:physiology*