Figure 1.

The behavioral task. (a) Schematic of the automated T-maze with return arms. When the rat crosses the visual cue (VC) onset photodetector (PD), this triggers one of the two screens behind the reward arms to be lit in pseudo-random sequence. Crossing the appropriate reward arm photodetector triggers the delivery of a drop of liquid reward at the corresponding reward site. Crossing the return arm (‘VC OFF’) photodetector triggers the lit screen to be turned off. (b) The two task rules. Under the ‘VC rule’, rats were only rewarded by choosing the reward arm in front of the lit screen regardless of whether it was to the left or the right. Under the ‘Turn rule’, rats were only rewarded on the same (non-preferred) side, regardless of which screen was lit.