Learning new stimulus-response associations engages a wide range of neural processes which are ultimately reflected in changing spike output of individual neurons. Here we describe a behavioral protocol allowing for the continuous registration of single-neuron activity while animals acquire, extinguish, and reacquire a conditioned response within a single experimental session.
Starosta, S., Stüttgen, M. C., Güntürkün, O. Recording Single Neurons' Action Potentials from Freely Moving Pigeons Across Three Stages of Learning. J. Vis. Exp. (88), e51283, doi:10.3791/51283 (2014).