Local Field Potential Functional Network Analysis of the Left and Right Hippocampus of Pigeons in Goal-Directed Task

Abstract

Pigeons have excellent spatial cognition and navigation ability. The hippocampus $(\text{Hp})$ is the key brain area for navigation behavior. However, the difference of the neural cluster electrical activity in the goal-directed task in the left and right hippocampus of the pigeon brain is still unclear. In this paper, the function network of the left hemisphere and the right hemisphere local field potential (LFP)signals is constructed using Pearson correlation method, the LFP functional networks and their topological characteristics of different Hp are analyzed in different task areas. The results show that the connection density of LFP functional networks in different areas is different, the clustering coefficient (CC)and global efficiency (E)of the pigeons in the straight area(SA)are higher than the waiting area(WA)and the turning area(TA)$(\mathrm{P} < 0.05)$, at the same time, the topological characteristics of the LFP functional network in the left Hp were significantly higher than that in the right Hp $(\mathrm{P} < 0.05)$. Further research also found it is not affected by the goal location $(\mathrm{P} < 0.01)$. This study further analyzes the role of the hippocampus functional network in pigeon navigation behavior, and makes a useful attempt to analyze the brain neural mechanisms of bird spatial cognition and navigation.