Event-related potentials during an auditory discrimination task in rats

Abstract

Event-related potentials (ERPs) during an auditory discrimination task were recorded both on the surface and at a depth of the auditory cortex in rats. Ten-kilohertz rare and 5-kHz frequent tones were used with the probabilities of 0.2 and 0.8. Lever pressing within 2 s, following the onset of the rare tone, was rewarded with food paste. In the performing condition, the surface ERPs for the rare tones consisted of P30, N50, P80, N130, and P290 components. Only the surface P30 and N50 showed a polarity reversal at the intracortical electrode, suggesting that these components are generated in the auditory cortex. The P290 was elicited in the performing condition but not in the resting condition, showing its task-relevancy. These results suggest that auditory ERPs similar to those in humans can be recorded in rats during an active discrimination task.