If one measures the neural activity in a rat's basal ganglia as the rat learns to turn the correct way in a T-shaped maze, one finds that during the early stages of learning, most neurons fire _____, whereas after practicing, most neurons fire _____.
A) when the rat turns; at the beginning and end of the task
B) when the instructional sound is broadcast; when the rat turns
C) when the rat turns; when the instructional sound is broadcast
D) at the beginning and end of the trial; when the rat turns

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

During the early stages of learning, the neural activity is more directly related to the physical action of turning in the maze. As the rat becomes more proficient, the neural activity shifts to signal the start and end of the task, reflecting a more anticipatory or planning state rather than a reactive one. This shift indicates that the rat has internalized the task structure, allowing for more efficient processing and execution of the learned behavior.

If One Measures the Neural Activity in a Rat's Basal