ABSTRACT
The rabbit nictitating membrane conditioning preparation, initially developed by Gormezano (33), offers several advantages as a mammalian system in which to analyze the neurophysiological substrates of learning (21,81). With appropriate parameters, conditioning occurs within one session even when the animal's head is firmly fixed in a manner appropriate for single-neuron recording (21). This allows single neurons to be followed during the acquisition of the conditioned response (49). Because the rabbit's head is fixed, auditory conditioned stimulus (CS) control comparable to that commonly used in neurophysiological studies of the auditory system in acute, anesthetized preparations may be used during training (48,49). The major behavior monitored is nictitating membrane extension. Primary motor output elements have been specified as axons traveling in the abducens nerve (16).
