A combined electrophysiological and video data acquisition system using a single computer

Numerous experimental paradigms in behavioral electrophysiology and neuroet hology require simultaneous recording of neural signals and behavior. A com puter fitted with an analog to digital converter and a frame grabber was co nfigured to perform both tasks. The analog to digital converter collected e lectrophysiological data while the frame grabber recorded video images. Sin ce spike and image information were present in one computer, arbitrary comb inations of electrophysiological and behavioral parameters could be used as the basis of an operant conditioning paradigm. The system was used to reco rd subicular cell tiring in rats performing a place search task. The comput er monitored the output of the analog to digital converter for supra-thresh old events. When one was detected, a block of samples (pre- and post-trigge r) was stored in memory. The same computer also scanned every video frame t o find the rat, and recorded a image of its behavior. The location of the r at was then quickly calculated. If it satisfied the task conditions, a brai n reward pathway (medial forebrain bundle) was stimulated. The recording of neural and image data was monitored in real-time by writing spike waveform s and location data directly to video card RAM. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B .V. All rights reserved.