Data from: Hippocampal sequences represent working memory and implicit timing

Working memory (WM) and timing are considered distinct cognitive
functions, yet the neural signatures underlying both can be similar. To
address the hypothesis that WM and timing may be multiplexed, we develop a
rodent task where 1st odor identity predicts the delay duration. We find
that WM performance decreases when delay expectations are violated.
Performance is worse for unexpected long delays than for unexpected short
delays, suggesting that WM may be tuned to expire in a delay-dependent
manner. Calcium imaging of dorsal CA1 neurons reveals odor-specific
sequential activity tiling the short and long delays. Neural sequence
structure also reflects expectation of the timing of the 2nd odor—i.e., of
the expected delay. Consistent with the hypothesis that WM and timing may
be multiplexed, our findings suggest that neural sequences in dorsal CA1
may encode cues and cue-specific elapsed time during the delay period of a
WM task.