MANY cells recorded from the dorsal hippocampus of freely moving rats
are intensely active only when the rat's head is in a particular part
of its environment. For this reason, such units are called 'place cell
s'. We have investigated whether place cells are also found in the ven
tral hippocampus. Recordings were made from ventral hippocampal units
while rats chased food pellets in a cylindrical arena. The rat's posit
ion was simultaneously recorded by tracking a light on the rat's head.
Our data show the existence of cells in the ventral hippocampus whose
positional firing patterns and electrophysiological properties are ve
ry similar to those of dorsal hippocampal place cells.