101
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Oess T, Krichmar JL, Röhrbein F. A Computational Model for Spatial Navigation Based on Reference Frames in the Hippocampus, Retrosplenial Cortex, and Posterior Parietal Cortex. Front Neurorobot 2017; 11:4. [PMID: 28223931 PMCID: PMC5293834 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2017.00004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2016] [Accepted: 01/12/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Behavioral studies for humans, monkeys, and rats have shown that, while traversing an environment, these mammals tend to use different frames of reference and frequently switch between them. These frames represent allocentric, egocentric, or route-centric views of the environment. However, combinations of either of them are often deployed. Neurophysiological studies on rats have indicated that the hippocampus, the retrosplenial cortex, and the posterior parietal cortex contribute to the formation of these frames and mediate the transformation between those. In this paper, we construct a computational model of the posterior parietal cortex and the retrosplenial cortex for spatial navigation. We demonstrate how the transformation of reference frames could be realized in the brain and suggest how different brain areas might use these reference frames to form navigational strategies and predict under what conditions an animal might use a specific type of reference frame. Our simulated navigation experiments demonstrate that the model’s results closely resemble behavioral findings in humans and rats. These results suggest that navigation strategies may depend on the animal’s reliance in a particular reference frame and shows how low confidence in a reference frame can lead to fluid adaptation and deployment of alternative navigation strategies. Because of its flexibility, our biologically inspired navigation system may be applied to autonomous robots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timo Oess
- Department of Informatics, Technical University of Munich , Garching , Germany
| | - Jeffrey L Krichmar
- Cognitive Anteater Robotics Laboratory, Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California Irvine , Irvine, CA , USA
| | - Florian Röhrbein
- Department of Informatics, Technical University of Munich , Garching , Germany
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102
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Boccia M, Silveri MC, Sabatini U, Guariglia C, Nemmi F. Neural Underpinnings of the Decline of Topographical Memory in Mild Cognitive Impairment. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen 2016; 31:618-630. [PMID: 27307142 PMCID: PMC10852657 DOI: 10.1177/1533317516654757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Spatial navigation is one of the cognitive functions known to decline in both normal and pathological aging. In the present study, we aimed to assess the neural correlates of the decline of topographical memory in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Patients with aMCI and age-matched controls were engaged in an intensive learning paradigm, lasting for 5 days, during which they had to encode 1 path from an egocentric perspective and 1 path from an allocentric perspective. After the learning period, they were asked to retrieve each of these paths using an allocentric or egocentric frame of reference while undergoing a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan. We found that patients with aMCI showed a specific deficit in storing new topographical memories from an allocentric perspective and retrieving stored information to perform the egocentric task. Imaging data suggest that this general decline is correlated with hypoactivation of the brain areas generally involved in spatial navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maddalena Boccia
- Department of Psychology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Neuropsychology Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Umberto Sabatini
- Radiology Department, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia of Rome, Italy
| | - Cecilia Guariglia
- Department of Psychology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Neuropsychology Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Federico Nemmi
- Klingberg Lab, Neuroscience Department, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
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103
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Sulpizio V, Boccia M, Guariglia C, Galati G. Implicit coding of location and direction in a familiar, real-world "vista" space. Behav Brain Res 2016; 319:16-24. [PMID: 27840248 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.10.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2016] [Revised: 10/27/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Keeping oriented in the surrounding space requires an accurate representation of one's spatial position and facing direction. Although previous studies provided evidence of specific spatial codes for position and direction within room-sized and large-scale navigational environments, little is known about the mechanisms by which these spatial quantities are represented in a real small-scale environment. Here, we used two spatial tasks requiring participants to encode their own position and facing direction on a series of pictures taken from a familiar circular square. Crucially, directions and positions were incidentally manipulated, so that when participants were required to encode their current position in the square, the perceived direction across consecutive trials was the same, and vice versa. We found a behavioral advantage (priming effect: reduced reaction times and increased accuracy) for repeated directions and positions, even in the absence of any explicit demand to encode either of them. The advantage was higher for repeated directions, indicating that representation of one's own direction is more automatic than representation of one's own location. Furthermore, priming effects were partially mediated by gender: females (but not males) showed a stronger priming effect for repeated directions than for repeated positions. Finally, although priming effects were not linearly related to the physical distances between consecutive positions and directions, they revealed a rough preservation of real-world distance relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Sulpizio
- Department of Psychology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Unit of Motor and Cognitive Rehabilitation, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.
| | - Maddalena Boccia
- Department of Psychology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Unit of Motor and Cognitive Rehabilitation, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Cecilia Guariglia
- Department of Psychology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Unit of Motor and Cognitive Rehabilitation, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Gaspare Galati
- Department of Psychology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Unit of Motor and Cognitive Rehabilitation, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
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104
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Pu Y, Cornwell BR, Cheyne D, Johnson BW. The functional role of human right hippocampal/parahippocampal theta rhythm in environmental encoding during virtual spatial navigation. Hum Brain Mapp 2016; 38:1347-1361. [PMID: 27813230 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2016] [Revised: 08/28/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Low frequency theta band oscillations (4-8 Hz) are thought to provide a timing mechanism for hippocampal place cell firing and to mediate the formation of spatial memory. In rodents, hippocampal theta has been shown to play an important role in encoding a new environment during spatial navigation, but a similar functional role of hippocampal theta in humans has not been firmly established. To investigate this question, we recorded healthy participants' brain responses with a 160-channel whole-head MEG system as they performed two training sets of a virtual Morris water maze task. Environment layouts (except for platform locations) of the two sets were kept constant to measure theta activity during spatial learning in new and familiar environments. In line with previous findings, left hippocampal/parahippocampal theta showed more activation navigating to a hidden platform relative to random swimming. Consistent with our hypothesis, right hippocampal/parahippocampal theta was stronger during the first training set compared to the second one. Notably, theta in this region during the first training set correlated with spatial navigation performance across individuals in both training sets. These results strongly argue for the functional importance of right hippocampal theta in initial encoding of configural properties of an environment during spatial navigation. Our findings provide important evidence that right hippocampal/parahippocampal theta activity is associated with environmental encoding in the human brain. Hum Brain Mapp 38:1347-1361, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Pu
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Department of Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Brian R Cornwell
- Brain and Psychological Sciences Research Centre, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Douglas Cheyne
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Institute of Medical Sciences and Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Blake W Johnson
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Department of Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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105
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Sex differences in virtual navigation influenced by scale and navigation experience. Psychon Bull Rev 2016; 24:582-590. [DOI: 10.3758/s13423-016-1118-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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106
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Meilinger T, Strickrodt M, Bülthoff HH. Qualitative differences in memory for vista and environmental spaces are caused by opaque borders, not movement or successive presentation. Cognition 2016; 155:77-95. [PMID: 27367592 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2016.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Revised: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 06/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Two classes of space define our everyday experience within our surrounding environment: vista spaces, such as rooms or streets which can be perceived from one vantage point, and environmental spaces, for example, buildings and towns which are grasped from multiple views acquired during locomotion. However, theories of spatial representations often treat both spaces as equal. The present experiments show that this assumption cannot be upheld. Participants learned exactly the same layout of objects either within a single room or spread across multiple corridors. By utilizing a pointing and a placement task we tested the acquired configurational memory. In Experiment 1 retrieving memory of the object layout acquired in environmental space was affected by the distance of the traveled path and the order in which the objects were learned. In contrast, memory retrieval of objects learned in vista space was not bound to distance and relied on different ordering schemes (e.g., along the layout structure). Furthermore, spatial memory of both spaces differed with respect to the employed reference frame orientation. Environmental space memory was organized along the learning experience rather than layout intrinsic structure. In Experiment 2 participants memorized the object layout presented within the vista space room of Experiment 1 while the learning procedure emulated environmental space learning (movement, successive object presentation). Neither factor rendered similar results as found in environmental space learning. This shows that memory differences between vista and environmental space originated mainly from the spatial compartmentalization which was unique to environmental space learning. Our results suggest that transferring conclusions from findings obtained in vista space to environmental spaces and vice versa should be made with caution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Meilinger
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany.
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107
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Brown TI, Carr VA, LaRocque KF, Favila SE, Gordon AM, Bowles B, Bailenson JN, Wagner AD. Prospective representation of navigational goals in the human hippocampus. Science 2016; 352:1323-6. [DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf0784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Accepted: 05/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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108
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Cogné M, Taillade M, N'Kaoua B, Tarruella A, Klinger E, Larrue F, Sauzéon H, Joseph PA, Sorita E. The contribution of virtual reality to the diagnosis of spatial navigation disorders and to the study of the role of navigational aids: A systematic literature review. Ann Phys Rehabil Med 2016; 60:164-176. [PMID: 27017533 DOI: 10.1016/j.rehab.2015.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2015] [Revised: 12/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/23/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Spatial navigation, which involves higher cognitive functions, is frequently implemented in daily activities, and is critical to the participation of human beings in mainstream environments. Virtual reality is an expanding tool, which enables on one hand the assessment of the cognitive functions involved in spatial navigation, and on the other the rehabilitation of patients with spatial navigation difficulties. Topographical disorientation is a frequent deficit among patients suffering from neurological diseases. The use of virtual environments enables the information incorporated into the virtual environment to be manipulated empirically. But the impact of manipulations seems differ according to their nature (quantity, occurrence, and characteristics of the stimuli) and the target population. METHODS We performed a systematic review of research on virtual spatial navigation covering the period from 2005 to 2015. We focused first on the contribution of virtual spatial navigation for patients with brain injury or schizophrenia, or in the context of ageing and dementia, and then on the impact of visual or auditory stimuli on virtual spatial navigation. RESULTS On the basis of 6521 abstracts identified in 2 databases (Pubmed and Scopus) with the keywords « navigation » and « virtual », 1103 abstracts were selected by adding the keywords "ageing", "dementia", "brain injury", "stroke", "schizophrenia", "aid", "help", "stimulus" and "cue"; Among these, 63 articles were included in the present qualitative analysis. CONCLUSION Unlike pencil-and-paper tests, virtual reality is useful to assess large-scale navigation strategies in patients with brain injury or schizophrenia, or in the context of ageing and dementia. Better knowledge about both the impact of the different aids and the cognitive processes involved is essential for the use of aids in neurorehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Cogné
- EA4136 handicap et système nerveux, université de Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France; Service de médecine physique et de réadaptation, centre hospitalier universitaire, 33076 Bordeaux, France.
| | - M Taillade
- EA4136 handicap et système nerveux, université de Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - B N'Kaoua
- EA4136 handicap et système nerveux, université de Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France; Institut national de recherche en informatique et automatique (INRIA), 33405 Talence cedex, France
| | - A Tarruella
- EA4136 handicap et système nerveux, université de Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France; Institut de formation en ergothérapie, centre hospitalier universitaire, 33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - E Klinger
- Laboratoire interactions numériques santé handicap, ESIEA, 53000 Laval, France
| | - F Larrue
- Laboratoire Bordelais de recherche en informatique (LaBRI), université de Bordeaux, 33045 Bordeaux, France
| | - H Sauzéon
- EA4136 handicap et système nerveux, université de Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France; Institut national de recherche en informatique et automatique (INRIA), 33405 Talence cedex, France
| | - P-A Joseph
- EA4136 handicap et système nerveux, université de Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France; Service de médecine physique et de réadaptation, centre hospitalier universitaire, 33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - E Sorita
- EA4136 handicap et système nerveux, université de Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France; Institut de formation en ergothérapie, centre hospitalier universitaire, 33076 Bordeaux, France
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109
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Spatial memory in foraging games. Cognition 2016; 148:85-96. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2015.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2015] [Revised: 12/17/2015] [Accepted: 12/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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110
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Korthauer LE, Nowak NT, Moffat SD, An Y, Rowland LM, Barker PB, Resnick SM, Driscoll I. Correlates of virtual navigation performance in older adults. Neurobiol Aging 2016; 39:118-27. [PMID: 26923408 PMCID: PMC4773923 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2015.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2015] [Revised: 11/08/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Despite considerable evidence for deleterious effects of aging on place learning and memory, less is known about the trajectory and the putative neural mechanisms of these decrements. The virtual Morris water task (vMWT) is a human analog of a nonhuman spatial navigation task. The present study investigated longitudinal changes in place learning in 51 healthy, nondemented adults (age 30-83 years) who completed the vMWT and a neuropsychological battery at 2 time-points (interval = ∼8 years). We also assessed cross-sectional associations between vMWT and brain structure, biochemical integrity, and standardized neuropsychological measures in a subset of 22 individuals who underwent magnetic resonance imaging at follow-up. Despite no longitudinal decrement in vMWT performance, there were cross-sectional age differences on the vMWT favoring younger adults. Negative associations were observed between vMWT latency and gray matter volumes in the right hippocampus, bilateral thalamus, and right medial orbitofrontal cortex and between vMWT latency and white matter fractional anisotropy in the bilateral uncinate fasciculus. Collectively, these results suggest a pattern of differences in the structural integrity of regions supporting successful navigation even in the absence of longitudinal performance decrements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E Korthauer
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Nicole T Nowak
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Scott D Moffat
- School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yang An
- National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Laura M Rowland
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Peter B Barker
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins, University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Susan M Resnick
- National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ira Driscoll
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA; National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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111
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Lazarov O, Hollands C. Hippocampal neurogenesis: Learning to remember. Prog Neurobiol 2016; 138-140:1-18. [PMID: 26855369 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2015.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 177] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2015] [Revised: 12/15/2015] [Accepted: 12/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease, the most prevalent form of dementia in the elderly, is characterized by progressive memory loss and cognitive dysfunction. It has become increasingly clear that while neuronal cell loss in the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus occurs in Alzheimer's disease, it is preceded by a long period of deficits in the connectivity of the hippocampal formation that contributes to the vulnerability of these circuits. Hippocampal neurogenesis plays a role in the maintenance and function of the dentate gyrus and hippocampal circuitry. This review will examine the evidence suggesting that hippocampal neurogenesis plays a role in cognitive function that is affected in Alzheimer's disease, will discuss the cognitive assessments used for the detection of Alzheimer's disease in humans and rodent models of familial Alzheimer's disease, and their value for unraveling the mechanism underlying the development of cognitive impairments and dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orly Lazarov
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Carolyn Hollands
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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112
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Strickrodt M, O'Malley M, Wiener JM. This Place Looks Familiar-How Navigators Distinguish Places with Ambiguous Landmark Objects When Learning Novel Routes. Front Psychol 2015; 6:1936. [PMID: 26733921 PMCID: PMC4689859 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2015] [Accepted: 12/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We present two experiments investigating how navigators deal with ambiguous landmark information when learning unfamiliar routes. In the experiments we presented landmark objects repeatedly along a route, which allowed us to manipulate how informative single landmarks were (1) about the navigators' location along the route and (2) about the action navigators had to take at that location. Experiment 1 demonstrated that reducing location informativeness alone did not affect route learning performance. While reducing both location and action informativeness led to decreased route learning performance, participants still performed well above chance level. This demonstrates that they used other information than just the identity of landmark objects at their current position to disambiguate their location along the route. To investigate how navigators distinguish between visually identical intersections, we systematically manipulated the identity of landmark objects and the actions required at preceding intersections in Experiment 2. Results suggest that the direction of turn at the preceding intersections was sufficient to tell two otherwise identical intersections apart. Together, results from Experiments 1 and 2 suggest that route knowledge is more complex than simple stimulus-response associations and that neighboring places are tightly linked. These links not only encompass sequence information but also directional information which is used to identify the correct direction of travel at subsequent locations, but can also be used for self-localization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Strickrodt
- Max Planck Institute for Biological CyberneticsTuebingen, Germany; Department of Psychology, Experimental Psychology and Cognitive Science, Justus Liebig University GiessenGiessen, Germany
| | - Mary O'Malley
- Department of Psychology, Bournemouth University Poole, UK
| | - Jan M Wiener
- Department of Psychology, Bournemouth University Poole, UK
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113
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Schinazi VR, Thrash T, Chebat DR. Spatial navigation by congenitally blind individuals. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2015; 7:37-58. [PMID: 26683114 PMCID: PMC4737291 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2015] [Revised: 10/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Spatial navigation in the absence of vision has been investigated from a variety of perspectives and disciplines. These different approaches have progressed our understanding of spatial knowledge acquisition by blind individuals, including their abilities, strategies, and corresponding mental representations. In this review, we propose a framework for investigating differences in spatial knowledge acquisition by blind and sighted people consisting of three longitudinal models (i.e., convergent, cumulative, and persistent). Recent advances in neuroscience and technological devices have provided novel insights into the different neural mechanisms underlying spatial navigation by blind and sighted people and the potential for functional reorganization. Despite these advances, there is still a lack of consensus regarding the extent to which locomotion and wayfinding depend on amodal spatial representations. This challenge largely stems from methodological limitations such as heterogeneity in the blind population and terminological ambiguity related to the concept of cognitive maps. Coupled with an over‐reliance on potential technological solutions, the field has diffused into theoretical and applied branches that do not always communicate. Here, we review research on navigation by congenitally blind individuals with an emphasis on behavioral and neuroscientific evidence, as well as the potential of technological assistance. Throughout the article, we emphasize the need to disentangle strategy choice and performance when discussing the navigation abilities of the blind population. WIREs Cogn Sci 2016, 7:37–58. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1375 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor R Schinazi
- Department of Humanities, Social, and Political Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Tyler Thrash
- Department of Humanities, Social, and Political Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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114
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Filimon F. Are All Spatial Reference Frames Egocentric? Reinterpreting Evidence for Allocentric, Object-Centered, or World-Centered Reference Frames. Front Hum Neurosci 2015; 9:648. [PMID: 26696861 PMCID: PMC4673307 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 11/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The use and neural representation of egocentric spatial reference frames is well-documented. In contrast, whether the brain represents spatial relationships between objects in allocentric, object-centered, or world-centered coordinates is debated. Here, I review behavioral, neuropsychological, neurophysiological (neuronal recording), and neuroimaging evidence for and against allocentric, object-centered, or world-centered spatial reference frames. Based on theoretical considerations, simulations, and empirical findings from spatial navigation, spatial judgments, and goal-directed movements, I suggest that all spatial representations may in fact be dependent on egocentric reference frames.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavia Filimon
- Adaptive Behavior and Cognition, Max Planck Institute for Human Development Berlin, Germany ; Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin Berlin, Germany
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115
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Kolarik BS, Shahlaie K, Hassan A, Borders AA, Kaufman KC, Gurkoff G, Yonelinas AP, Ekstrom AD. Impairments in precision, rather than spatial strategy, characterize performance on the virtual Morris Water Maze: A case study. Neuropsychologia 2015; 80:90-101. [PMID: 26593960 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2015] [Revised: 09/09/2015] [Accepted: 11/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Damage to the medial temporal lobes produces profound amnesia, greatly impairing the ability of patients to learn about new associations and events. While studies in rodents suggest a strong link between damage to the hippocampus and the ability to navigate using distal landmarks in a spatial environment, the connection between navigation and memory in humans remains less clear. Past studies on human navigation have provided mixed findings about whether patients with damage to the medial temporal lobes can successfully acquire and navigate new spatial environments, possibly due, in part, to issues related to patient demographics and characterization of medial temporal lobe damage. Here, we report findings from a young, high functioning patient who suffered severe medial temporal lobe damage. Although the patient is densely amnestic, her ability to acquire and utilize new, but coarse, spatial "maps" appears largely intact. Specifically, a novel computational analysis focused on the precision of her spatial search revealed a significant deficit in spatial precision rather than spatial search strategy. These findings argue that an intact hippocampus in humans is not necessary for representing multiple external landmarks during spatial navigation of new environments. We suggest instead that the human hippocampus may store and represent complex high-resolution bindings of features in the environment as part of a larger role in perception, memory, and navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Branden S Kolarik
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95618, USA; Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95618, USA
| | - Kiarash Shahlaie
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis, 4860 Y Street Suite 3740, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Abdul Hassan
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95618, USA
| | - Alyssa A Borders
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95618, USA
| | - Kyle C Kaufman
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95618, USA
| | - Gene Gurkoff
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis, 4860 Y Street Suite 3740, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Andy P Yonelinas
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95618, USA
| | - Arne D Ekstrom
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95618, USA; Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95618, USA.
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116
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Rosenbaum RS, Cassidy BN, Herdman KA. Patterns of preserved and impaired spatial memory in a case of developmental amnesia. Front Hum Neurosci 2015; 9:196. [PMID: 26029074 PMCID: PMC4426723 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2014] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus is believed to have evolved to support allocentric spatial representations of environments as well as the details of personal episodes that occur within them, whereas other brain structures are believed to support complementary egocentric spatial representations. Studies of patients with adult-onset lesions lend support to these distinctions for newly encountered places but suggest that with time and/or experience, schematic aspects of environments can exist independent of the hippocampus. Less clear is the quality of spatial memories acquired in individuals with impaired episodic memory in the context of a hippocampal system that did not develop normally. Here we describe a detailed investigation of the integrity of spatial representations of environments navigated repeatedly over many years in the rare case of H.C., a person with congenital absence of the mammillary bodies and abnormal hippocampal and fornix development. H.C. and controls who had extensive experience navigating the residential and downtown areas known to H.C. were tested on mental navigation tasks that assess the identity, location, and spatial relations among landmarks, and the ability to represent routes. H.C. was able to represent distances and directions between familiar landmarks and provide accurate, though inefficient, route descriptions. However, difficulties producing detailed spatial features on maps and accurately ordering more than two landmarks that are in close proximity to one another along a route suggest a spatial representation that includes only coarse, schematic information that lacks coherence and that cannot be used flexibly. This pattern of performance is considered in the context of other areas of preservation and impairment exhibited by H.C. and suggests that the allocentric-egocentric dichotomy with respect to hippocampal and extended hippocampal system function may need to be reconsidered.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Shayna Rosenbaum
- Department of Psychology, York University Toronto, ON, Canada ; Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Toronto, ON, Canada
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117
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Jiang YV, Won BY. Spatial scale, rather than nature of task or locomotion, modulates the spatial reference frame of attention. J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform 2015; 41:866-78. [PMID: 25867510 DOI: 10.1037/xhp0000056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Visuospatial attention is strongly biased to locations that had frequently contained a search target before. However, the function of this bias depends on the reference frame in which attended locations are coded. Previous research has shown a striking difference between tasks administered on a computer monitor and those administered in a large environment, with the former inducing viewer-centered learning and the latter environment-centered learning. Why does environment-centered learning fail on a computer? Here, we tested 3 possibilities: differences in spatial scale, the nature of task, and locomotion may each influence the reference frame of attention. Participants searched for a target on a monitor placed flat on a stand. On each trial, they stood at a different location around the monitor. The target was frequently located in a fixed area of the monitor, but changes in participants' perspective rendered this area random relative to the participants. Under incidental learning conditions, participants failed to acquire environment-centered learning even when (a) the task and display resembled those of a large-scale task and (b) the search task required locomotion. The difficulty in inducing environment-centered learning on a computer underscores the egocentric nature of visual attention. It supports the idea that spatial scale modulates the reference frame of attention.
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118
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Geva-Sagiv M, Las L, Yovel Y, Ulanovsky N. Spatial cognition in bats and rats: from sensory acquisition to multiscale maps and navigation. Nat Rev Neurosci 2015; 16:94-108. [PMID: 25601780 DOI: 10.1038/nrn3888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Spatial orientation and navigation rely on the acquisition of several types of sensory information. This information is then transformed into a neural code for space in the hippocampal formation through the activity of place cells, grid cells and head-direction cells. These spatial representations, in turn, are thought to guide long-range navigation. But how the representations encoded by these different cell types are integrated in the brain to form a neural 'map and compass' is largely unknown. Here, we discuss this problem in the context of spatial navigation by bats and rats. We review the experimental findings and theoretical models that provide insight into the mechanisms that link sensory systems to spatial representations and to large-scale natural navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Geva-Sagiv
- 1] Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel. [2] Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Research, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Liora Las
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Yossi Yovel
- Department of Zoology and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Nachum Ulanovsky
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
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119
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Savignac HM, Tramullas M, Kiely B, Dinan TG, Cryan JF. Bifidobacteria modulate cognitive processes in an anxious mouse strain. Behav Brain Res 2015; 287:59-72. [PMID: 25794930 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.02.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 258] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2014] [Revised: 02/15/2015] [Accepted: 02/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that a brain-gut-microbiome axis exists, which has the potential to play a major role in modulating behaviour. However, the role of this axis in cognition remains relatively unexplored. Probiotics, which are commensal bacteria offering potential health benefit, have been shown to decrease anxiety, depression and visceral pain-related behaviours. In this study, we investigate the potential of two Bifidobacteria strains to modulate cognitive processes and visceral pain sensitivity. Adult male BALB/c mice were fed daily for 11 weeks with B. longum 1714, B. breve 1205 or vehicle treatment. Starting at week 4, animals were behaviourally assessed in a battery of tests relevant to different aspects of cognition, as well as locomotor activity and visceral pain. In the object recognition test, B. longum 1714-fed mice discriminated between the two objects faster than all other groups and B. breve 1205-fed mice discriminated faster than vehicle animals. In the Barnes maze, B. longum 1714-treated mice made fewer errors than other groups, suggesting a better learning. In the fear conditioning, B. longum 1714-treated group also showed better learning and memory, yet presenting the same extinction learning profile as controls. None of the treatments affected visceral sensitivity. Altogether, these data suggest that B. longum 1714 had a positive impact on cognition and also that the effects of individual Bifidobacteria strains do not generalise across the species. Clinical validation of the effects of probiotics on cognition is now warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- H M Savignac
- Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, University College Cork, Ireland; School of Pharmacy, University College Cork, Ireland.
| | - M Tramullas
- Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, University College Cork, Ireland
| | - B Kiely
- Alimentary Health Ltd., Cork, Ireland
| | - T G Dinan
- Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, University College Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry, University College Cork, Ireland.
| | - J F Cryan
- Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, University College Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, University College Cork, Ireland.
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120
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Long LL, Bunce JG, Chrobak JJ. Theta variation and spatiotemporal scaling along the septotemporal axis of the hippocampus. Front Syst Neurosci 2015; 9:37. [PMID: 25852496 PMCID: PMC4360780 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2015.00037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2014] [Accepted: 02/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Hippocampal theta has been related to locomotor speed, attention, anxiety, sensorimotor integration and memory among other emergent phenomena. One difficulty in understanding the function of theta is that the hippocampus (HPC) modulates voluntary behavior at the same time that it processes sensory input. Both functions are correlated with characteristic changes in theta indices. The current review highlights a series of studies examining theta local field potential (LFP) signals across the septotemporal or longitudinal axis of the HPC. While the theta signal is coherent throughout the entirety of the HPC, the amplitude, but not the frequency, of theta varies significantly across its three-dimensional expanse. We suggest that the theta signal offers a rich vein of information about how distributed neuronal ensembles support emergent function. Further, we speculate that emergent function across the long axis varies with respect to spatiotemporal scale. Thus, septal HPC processes details of the proximal spatiotemporal environment while more temporal aspects process larger spaces and wider time-scales. The degree to which emergent functions are supported by the synchronization of theta across the septotemporal axis is an open question. Our working model is that theta synchrony serves to bind ensembles representing varying resolutions of spatiotemporal information at interdependent septotemporal areas of the HPC. Such synchrony and cooperative interactions along the septotemporal axis likely support memory formation and subsequent consolidation and retrieval.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren L Long
- Behavioral Neuroscience Division, Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Jamie G Bunce
- Neural Systems Lab, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University Boston, MA, USA
| | - James J Chrobak
- Behavioral Neuroscience Division, Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut Storrs, CT, USA
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121
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Ekstrom AD, Arnold AEGF, Iaria G. A critical review of the allocentric spatial representation and its neural underpinnings: toward a network-based perspective. Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8:803. [PMID: 25346679 PMCID: PMC4193251 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2014] [Accepted: 09/21/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
While the widely studied allocentric spatial representation holds a special status in neuroscience research, its exact nature and neural underpinnings continue to be the topic of debate, particularly in humans. Here, based on a review of human behavioral research, we argue that allocentric representations do not provide the kind of map-like, metric representation one might expect based on past theoretical work. Instead, we suggest that almost all tasks used in past studies involve a combination of egocentric and allocentric representation, complicating both the investigation of the cognitive basis of an allocentric representation and the task of identifying a brain region specifically dedicated to it. Indeed, as we discuss in detail, past studies suggest numerous brain regions important to allocentric spatial memory in addition to the hippocampus, including parahippocampal, retrosplenial, and prefrontal cortices. We thus argue that although allocentric computations will often require the hippocampus, particularly those involving extracting details across temporally specific routes, the hippocampus is not necessary for all allocentric computations. We instead suggest that a non-aggregate network process involving multiple interacting brain areas, including hippocampus and extra-hippocampal areas such as parahippocampal, retrosplenial, prefrontal, and parietal cortices, better characterizes the neural basis of spatial representation during navigation. According to this model, an allocentric representation does not emerge from the computations of a single brain region (i.e., hippocampus) nor is it readily decomposable into additive computations performed by separate brain regions. Instead, an allocentric representation emerges from computations partially shared across numerous interacting brain regions. We discuss our non-aggregate network model in light of existing data and provide several key predictions for future experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arne D Ekstrom
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California at Davis Davis, CA, USA ; Department of Psychology, University of California at Davis Davis, CA, USA ; Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California at Davis Davis, CA, USA
| | - Aiden E G F Arnold
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California at Davis Davis, CA, USA ; Department of Psychology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Giuseppe Iaria
- Department of Psychology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary Calgary, AB, Canada
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122
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Sulpizio V, Committeri G, Galati G. Distributed cognitive maps reflecting real distances between places and views in the human brain. Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8:716. [PMID: 25309392 PMCID: PMC4160952 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2014] [Accepted: 08/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
KEEPING ORIENTED IN THE ENVIRONMENT IS A MULTIFACETED ABILITY THAT REQUIRES KNOWLEDGE OF AT LEAST THREE PIECES OF INFORMATION: one's own location ("place") and orientation ("heading") within the environment, and which location in the environment one is looking at ("view"). We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in humans to examine the neural signatures of these information. Participants were scanned while viewing snapshots which varied for place, view and heading within a virtual room. We observed adaptation effects, proportional to the physical distances between consecutive places and views, in scene-responsive (retrosplenial complex and parahippocampal gyrus), fronto-parietal and lateral occipital regions. Multivoxel pattern classification of signals in scene-responsive regions and in the hippocampus allowed supra-chance decoding of place, view and heading, and revealed the existence of map-like representations, where places and views closer in physical space entailed activity patterns more similar in neural representational space. The pattern of hippocampal activity reflected both view- and place-based distances, the pattern of parahippocampal activity preferentially discriminated between views, and the pattern of retrosplenial activity combined place and view information, while the fronto-parietal cortex only showed transient effects of changes in place, view, and heading. Our findings provide evidence for the presence of map-like spatial representations which reflect metric distances in terms of both one's own and landmark locations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giorgia Committeri
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University G. d'Annunzio, and ITAB, Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies, G. d'Annunzio Foundation Chieti, Italy
| | - Gaspare Galati
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS Roma, Italy ; Department of Psychology, Sapienza University Rome, Italy
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