Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id QAA01329 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Thu, 25 Jan 2001 16:18:38 GMT Message-ID: <A4400389479FD3118C9400508B0FF230010D1A7D@DELTA.newhouse.akzonobel.nl> From: "Gatherer, D. (Derek)" <D.Gatherer@organon.nhe.akzonobel.nl> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: MIT research reports rats dream of mazes Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2001 17:13:44 +0100 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
What the Neuron paper is _really_ about is not 'neural memes' but the
spatial receptive fields of nine hippocampal CA1 neurons recorded as the
animal ran on a circular track. A colour coding video representation
reflected the relative firing rate of the cell as a function of location on
the track (red, high firing rate; blue, low firing rate). Ensembles of
neurons recorded as an animal performs a familiar spatial task displayed
firing rate patterns that are unique to the behavioural experience.
Sequences of these patterns lasting tens of seconds to minutes were
subsequently replayed during REM sleep.
None of this is cultural, and therefore it has nothing to do with memetics
(neural or otherwise). Rats don't learn mazes from each other, but each rat
has to learn the maze de novo. If rats did learn mazes from each other,
then there would be something to talk about.
These firing rate patterns unique to the behavioural experience are _not_
culturally replicated in any way. At all.
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