1
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Westebbe L, Liang Y, Blaser E. The Accuracy and Precision of Memory for Natural Scenes: A Walk in the Park. Open Mind (Camb) 2024; 8:131-147. [PMID: 38435706 PMCID: PMC10898787 DOI: 10.1162/opmi_a_00122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
It is challenging to quantify the accuracy and precision of scene memory because it is unclear what 'space' scenes occupy (how can we quantify error when misremembering a natural scene?). To address this, we exploited the ecologically valid, metric space in which scenes occur and are represented: routes. In a delayed estimation task, participants briefly saw a target scene drawn from a video of an outdoor 'route loop', then used a continuous report wheel of the route to pinpoint the scene. Accuracy was high and unbiased, indicating there was no net boundary extension/contraction. Interestingly, precision was higher for routes that were more self-similar (as characterized by the half-life, in meters, of a route's Multiscale Structural Similarity index), consistent with previous work finding a 'similarity advantage' where memory precision is regulated according to task demands. Overall, scenes were remembered to within a few meters of their actual location.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leo Westebbe
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yibiao Liang
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Erik Blaser
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA
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2
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Baumann T, Mallot HA. Metric information in cognitive maps: Euclidean embedding of non-Euclidean environments. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011748. [PMID: 38150480 PMCID: PMC10775987 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The structure of the internal representation of surrounding space, the so-called cognitive map, has long been debated. A Euclidean metric map is the most straight-forward hypothesis, but human navigation has been shown to systematically deviate from the Euclidean ground truth. Vector navigation based on non-metric models can better explain the observed behavior, but also discards useful geometric properties such as fast shortcut estimation and cue integration. Here, we propose another alternative, a Euclidean metric map that is systematically distorted to account for the observed behavior. The map is found by embedding the non-metric model, a labeled graph, into 2D Euclidean coordinates. We compared these two models using data from a human behavioral study where participants had to learn and navigate a non-Euclidean maze (i.e., with wormholes) and perform direct shortcuts between different locations. Even though the Euclidean embedding cannot correctly represent the non-Euclidean environment, both models predicted the data equally well. We argue that the embedding naturally arises from integrating the local position information into a metric framework, which makes the model more powerful and robust than the non-metric alternative. It may therefore be a better model for the human cognitive map.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan Baumann
- Computational Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hanspeter A. Mallot
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Department of Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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3
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Robbe D. Lost in time: Relocating the perception of duration outside the brain. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105312. [PMID: 37467906 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
It is well-accepted in neuroscience that animals process time internally to estimate the duration of intervals lasting between one and several seconds. More than 100 years ago, Henri Bergson nevertheless remarked that, because animals have memory, their inner experience of time is ever-changing, making duration impossible to measure internally and time a source of change. Bergson proposed that quantifying the inner experience of time requires its externalization in movements (observed or self-generated), as their unfolding leaves measurable traces in space. Here, studies across species are reviewed and collectively suggest that, in line with Bergson's ideas, animals spontaneously solve time estimation tasks through a movement-based spatialization of time. Moreover, the well-known scalable anticipatory responses of animals to regularly spaced rewards can be explained by the variable pressure of time on reward-oriented actions. Finally, the brain regions linked with time perception overlap with those implicated in motor control, spatial navigation and motivation. Thus, instead of considering time as static information processed by the brain, it might be fruitful to conceptualize it as a kind of force to which animals are more or less sensitive depending on their internal state and environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Robbe
- Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée (INMED), INSERM, Marseille, France; Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France.
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4
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Yesiltepe D, Fernández Velasco P, Coutrot A, Ozbil Torun A, Wiener JM, Holscher C, Hornberger M, Conroy Dalton R, Spiers HJ. Entropy and a sub-group of geometric measures of paths predict the navigability of an environment. Cognition 2023; 236:105443. [PMID: 37003236 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2023.105443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Despite extensive research on navigation, it remains unclear which features of an environment predict how difficult it will be to navigate. We analysed 478,170 trajectories from 10,626 participants who navigated 45 virtual environments in the research app-based game Sea Hero Quest. Virtual environments were designed to vary in a range of properties such as their layout, number of goals, visibility (varying fog) and map condition. We calculated 58 spatial measures grouped into four families: task-specific metrics, space syntax configurational metrics, space syntax geometric metrics, and general geometric metrics. We used Lasso, a variable selection method, to select the most predictive measures of navigation difficulty. Geometric features such as entropy, area of navigable space, number of rings and closeness centrality of path networks were among the most significant factors determining the navigational difficulty. By contrast a range of other measures did not predict difficulty, including measures of intelligibility. Unsurprisingly, other task-specific features (e.g. number of destinations) and fog also predicted navigation difficulty. These findings have implications for the study of spatial behaviour in ecological settings, as well as predicting human movements in different settings, such as complex buildings and transport networks and may aid the design of more navigable environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Yesiltepe
- School of Architecture, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
| | - P Fernández Velasco
- Department of Philosophy, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - A Coutrot
- LIRIS, CNRS, University of Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - A Ozbil Torun
- Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - J M Wiener
- Department of Psychology, Ageing and Dementia Research Centre, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK
| | - C Holscher
- ETH Zürich, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - M Hornberger
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - R Conroy Dalton
- Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
| | - H J Spiers
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK.
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5
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Otsuka T, Yotsumoto Y. Partially Separable Aspects of Spatial and Temporal Estimations in Virtual Navigation as Revealed by Adaptation. Iperception 2022; 13:20416695221078878. [PMID: 35237401 PMCID: PMC8883378 DOI: 10.1177/20416695221078878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies claim that estimating the magnitude of the spatial and temporal aspects of one's self-motion shows similar characteristics, suggesting shared processing mechanisms between these two dimensions. While the estimation of other magnitude dimensions, such as size, number, and duration, exhibits negative aftereffects after prolonged exposure to the stimulus, it remains to be elucidated whether this could occur similarly in the estimation of the distance travelled and time elapsed during one's self-motion. We sought to fill this gap by examining the effects of adaptation on distance and time estimation using a virtual navigation task. We found that a negative aftereffect occurred in the distance reproduction task after repeated exposure to self-motion with a fixed travel distance. No such aftereffect occurred in the time reproduction task after repeated exposure to self-motion with a fixed elapsed time. Further, the aftereffect in distance reproduction occurred only when the distance of the adapting stimulus was fixed, suggesting that it did not reflect adaptation to time, which varied with distance. The estimation of spatial and temporal aspects of self-motion is thus processed by partially separable mechanisms, with the distance estimation being similar to the estimation of other magnitude dimensions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taku Otsuka
- Department of Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuko Yotsumoto
- Department of Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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6
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Nyberg N, Duvelle É, Barry C, Spiers HJ. Spatial goal coding in the hippocampal formation. Neuron 2022; 110:394-422. [PMID: 35032426 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian hippocampal formation contains several distinct populations of neurons involved in representing self-position and orientation. These neurons, which include place, grid, head direction, and boundary-vector cells, are thought to collectively instantiate cognitive maps supporting flexible navigation. However, to flexibly navigate, it is necessary to also maintain internal representations of goal locations, such that goal-directed routes can be planned and executed. Although it has remained unclear how the mammalian brain represents goal locations, multiple neural candidates have recently been uncovered during different phases of navigation. For example, during planning, sequential activation of spatial cells may enable simulation of future routes toward the goal. During travel, modulation of spatial cells by the prospective route, or by distance and direction to the goal, may allow maintenance of route and goal-location information, supporting navigation on an ongoing basis. As the goal is approached, an increased activation of spatial cells may enable the goal location to become distinctly represented within cognitive maps, aiding goal localization. Lastly, after arrival at the goal, sequential activation of spatial cells may represent the just-taken route, enabling route learning and evaluation. Here, we review and synthesize these and other evidence for goal coding in mammalian brains, relate the experimental findings to predictions from computational models, and discuss outstanding questions and future challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Nyberg
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Éléonore Duvelle
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Caswell Barry
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Hugo J Spiers
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, London, UK.
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7
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Griesbauer EM, Manley E, Wiener JM, Spiers HJ. London taxi drivers: A review of neurocognitive studies and an exploration of how they build their cognitive map of London. Hippocampus 2021; 32:3-20. [PMID: 34914151 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Licensed London taxi drivers have been found to show changes in the gray matter density of their hippocampus over the course of training and decades of navigation in London (UK). This has been linked to their learning and using of the "Knowledge of London," the names and layout of over 26,000 streets and thousands of points of interest in London. Here we review past behavioral and neuroimaging studies of London taxi drivers, covering the structural differences in hippocampal gray matter density and brain dynamics associated with navigating London. We examine the process by which they learn the layout of London, detailing the key learning steps: systematic study of maps, travel on selected overlapping routes, the mental visualization of places and the optimal use of subgoals. Our analysis provides the first map of the street network covered by the routes used to learn the network, allowing insight into where there are gaps in this network. The methods described could be widely applied to aid spatial learning in the general population and may provide insights for artificial intelligence systems to efficiently learn new environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva-Maria Griesbauer
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
| | - Ed Manley
- Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, University College London, London, UK.,The Alan Turing Institute, London, UK.,School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Jan M Wiener
- Department of Psychology, Ageing and Dementia Research Centre, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK
| | - Hugo J Spiers
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
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8
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Liang M, Zheng J, Isham E, Ekstrom A. Common and Distinct Roles of Frontal Midline Theta and Occipital Alpha Oscillations in Coding Temporal Intervals and Spatial Distances. J Cogn Neurosci 2021; 33:2311-2327. [PMID: 34347871 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Judging how far something is and how long it takes to get there is critical to memory and navigation. Yet, the neural codes for spatial and temporal information remain unclear, particularly the involvement of neural oscillations in maintaining such codes. To address these issues, we designed an immersive virtual reality environment containing teleporters that displace participants to a different location after entry. Upon exiting the teleporters, participants made judgments from two given options regarding either the distance they had traveled (spatial distance condition) or the duration they had spent inside the teleporters (temporal duration condition). We wirelessly recorded scalp EEG while participants navigated in the virtual environment by physically walking on an omnidirectional treadmill and traveling through teleporters. An exploratory analysis revealed significantly higher alpha and beta power for short-distance versus long-distance traversals, whereas the contrast also revealed significantly higher frontal midline delta-theta-alpha power and global beta power increases for short versus long temporal duration teleportation. Analyses of occipital alpha instantaneous frequencies revealed their sensitivity for both spatial distances and temporal durations, suggesting a novel and common mechanism for both spatial and temporal coding. We further examined the resolution of distance and temporal coding by classifying discretized distance bins and 250-msec time bins based on multivariate patterns of 2- to 30-Hz power spectra, finding evidence that oscillations code fine-scale time and distance information. Together, these findings support partially independent coding schemes for spatial and temporal information, suggesting that low-frequency oscillations play important roles in coding both space and time.
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9
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Ottink L, Hoogendonk M, Doeller CF, Van der Geest TM, Van Wezel RJA. Cognitive map formation through haptic and visual exploration of tactile city-like maps. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15254. [PMID: 34315940 PMCID: PMC8316501 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94778-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we compared cognitive map formation of small-scale models of city-like environments presented in visual or tactile/haptic modalities. Previous research often addresses only a limited amount of cognitive map aspects. We wanted to combine several of these aspects to elucidate a more complete view. Therefore, we assessed different types of spatial information, and consider egocentric as well as allocentric perspectives. Furthermore, we compared haptic map learning with visual map learning. In total 18 sighted participants (9 in a haptic condition, 9 visuo-haptic) learned three tactile maps of city-like environments. The maps differed in complexity, and had five marked locations associated with unique items. Participants estimated distances between item pairs, rebuilt the map, recalled locations, and navigated two routes, after learning each map. All participants overall performed well on the spatial tasks. Interestingly, only on the complex maps, participants performed worse in the haptic condition than the visuo-haptic, suggesting no distinct advantage of vision on the simple map. These results support ideas of modality-independent representations of space. Although it is less clear on the more complex maps, our findings indicate that participants using only haptic or a combination of haptic and visual information both form a quite accurate cognitive map of a simple tactile city-like map.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loes Ottink
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Marit Hoogendonk
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Christian F Doeller
- Psychology Department, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.,Kavli Insitute for Systems Neuroscience, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Thea M Van der Geest
- Lectorate Media Design, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Arnhem, The Netherlands
| | - Richard J A Van Wezel
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Techmed Centre, Biomedical Signals and System, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
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10
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Peer M, Brunec IK, Newcombe NS, Epstein RA. Structuring Knowledge with Cognitive Maps and Cognitive Graphs. Trends Cogn Sci 2021; 25:37-54. [PMID: 33248898 PMCID: PMC7746605 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2020.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Humans and animals use mental representations of the spatial structure of the world to navigate. The classical view is that these representations take the form of Euclidean cognitive maps, but alternative theories suggest that they are cognitive graphs consisting of locations connected by paths. We review evidence suggesting that both map-like and graph-like representations exist in the mind/brain that rely on partially overlapping neural systems. Maps and graphs can operate simultaneously or separately, and they may be applied to both spatial and nonspatial knowledge. By providing structural frameworks for complex information, cognitive maps and cognitive graphs may provide fundamental organizing schemata that allow us to navigate in physical, social, and conceptual spaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Peer
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Iva K Brunec
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - Nora S Newcombe
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - Russell A Epstein
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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11
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Robinson EM, Wiener M. Dissociable neural indices for time and space estimates during virtual distance reproduction. Neuroimage 2020; 226:117607. [PMID: 33290808 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The perception and measurement of spatial and temporal dimensions have been widely studied. Yet, whether these two dimensions are processed independently is still being debated. Additionally, whether EEG components are uniquely associated with time or space, or whether they reflect a more general measure of magnitude quantity remains unknown. While undergoing EEG, subjects performed a virtual distance reproduction task, in which they were required to first walk forward for an unknown distance or time, and then reproduce that distance or time. Walking speed was varied between estimation and reproduction phases, to prevent interference between distance or time in each estimate. Behaviorally, subject performance was more variable when reproducing time than when reproducing distance, but with similar patterns of accuracy. During estimation, EEG data revealed the contingent negative variation (CNV), a measure previously associated with timing and expectation, tracked the probability of the upcoming interval, for both time and distance. However, during reproduction, the CNV exclusively oriented to the upcoming temporal interval at the start of reproduction, with no change across spatial distances. Our findings indicate that time and space are neurally separable dimensions, with the CNV both serving a supramodal role in temporal and spatial expectation, yet an exclusive role in preparing duration reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Marie Robinson
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tuscon, AZ 85721, United States; Department of Psychology, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, 3F5, Fairfax, VA 22030, United States
| | - Martin Wiener
- Department of Psychology, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, 3F5, Fairfax, VA 22030, United States.
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12
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Brunec IK, Ozubko JD, Ander T, Guo R, Moscovitch M, Barense MD. Turns during navigation act as boundaries that enhance spatial memory and expand time estimation. Neuropsychologia 2020; 141:107437. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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13
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Momennejad I. Learning Structures: Predictive Representations, Replay, and Generalization. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2020; 32:155-166. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2020.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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14
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Bellmund JLS, de Cothi W, Ruiter TA, Nau M, Barry C, Doeller CF. Deforming the metric of cognitive maps distorts memory. Nat Hum Behav 2020; 4:177-188. [PMID: 31740749 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-019-0767-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Environmental boundaries anchor cognitive maps that support memory. However, trapezoidal boundary geometry distorts the regular firing patterns of entorhinal grid cells, proposedly providing a metric for cognitive maps. Here we test the impact of trapezoidal boundary geometry on human spatial memory using immersive virtual reality. Consistent with reduced regularity of grid patterns in rodents and a grid-cell model based on the eigenvectors of the successor representation, human positional memory was degraded in a trapezoid environment compared with a square environment-an effect that was particularly pronounced in the narrow part of the trapezoid. Congruent with changes in the spatial frequency of eigenvector grid patterns, distance estimates between remembered positions were persistently biased, revealing distorted memory maps that explained behaviour better than the objective maps. Our findings demonstrate that environmental geometry affects human spatial memory in a similar manner to rodent grid-cell activity and, therefore, strengthen the putative link between grid cells and behaviour along with their cognitive functions beyond navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob L S Bellmund
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Centre for Neural Computation, The Egil and Pauline Braathen and Fred Kavli Centre for Cortical Microcircuits, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - William de Cothi
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
- Research Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tom A Ruiter
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Centre for Neural Computation, The Egil and Pauline Braathen and Fred Kavli Centre for Cortical Microcircuits, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Amsterdam Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthias Nau
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Centre for Neural Computation, The Egil and Pauline Braathen and Fred Kavli Centre for Cortical Microcircuits, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Caswell Barry
- Research Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Christian F Doeller
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Centre for Neural Computation, The Egil and Pauline Braathen and Fred Kavli Centre for Cortical Microcircuits, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
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15
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Teghil A, Boccia M, Bonavita A, Guariglia C. Temporal features of spatial knowledge: Representing order and duration of topographical information. Behav Brain Res 2019; 376:112218. [PMID: 31499091 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Environmental navigation entails the constant integration of information across space and time; however, the relation between spatial and temporal features involved in wayfinding has not been fully established yet. Here we investigated how two key spatio-temporal aspects of navigation - namely the processing of information concerning the order of landmarks along a route, and the duration of tracts connecting the same landmarks - relate to different types of navigational learning. Participants encoded a path in a real city in both a route and a survey format, and the acquisition of landmark, route and survey knowledge was tested. Participants' knowledge of landmarks order, and their perception of tracts duration were also assessed. Performance in the survey task, but not in the landmark and route tasks, significantly predicted accuracy in landmark ordering. The influence of tract length on retrospectively estimated tracts duration was also found to be significantly predicted only by accuracy in the survey learning task. These results support recent models of spatial navigation, invoking the dynamic interaction between different representation formats. Furthermore, they are consistent with theoretical views of an integrated account of the role of the hippocampus in navigation and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Teghil
- Department of Psychology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, PhD Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, Rome, Italy; Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Maddalena Boccia
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.
| | | | - Cecilia Guariglia
- Department of Psychology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy; Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
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16
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Temporal and spatial discounting are distinct in humans. Cognition 2019; 190:212-220. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2019.04.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Revised: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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17
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Bellmund JLS, Deuker L, Doeller CF. Mapping sequence structure in the human lateral entorhinal cortex. eLife 2019; 8:e45333. [PMID: 31383256 PMCID: PMC6684227 DOI: 10.7554/elife.45333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Remembering event sequences is central to episodic memory and presumably supported by the hippocampal-entorhinal region. We previously demonstrated that the hippocampus maps spatial and temporal distances between events encountered along a route through a virtual city (Deuker et al., 2016), but the content of entorhinal mnemonic representations remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that multi-voxel representations in the anterior-lateral entorhinal cortex (alEC) - the human homologue of the rodent lateral entorhinal cortex - specifically reflect the temporal event structure after learning. Holistic representations of the sequence structure related to memory recall and the timeline of events could be reconstructed from entorhinal multi-voxel patterns. Our findings demonstrate representations of temporal structure in the alEC; dovetailing with temporal information carried by population signals in the lateral entorhinal cortex of navigating rodents and alEC activations during temporal memory retrieval. Our results provide novel evidence for the role of the alEC in representing time for episodic memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob LS Bellmund
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
- Kavli Institute for Systems NeuroscienceNorwegian University of Science and TechnologyTrondheimNorway
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud UniversityNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Lorena Deuker
- Department of Neuropsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of PsychologyRuhr University BochumBochumGermany
| | - Christian F Doeller
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
- Kavli Institute for Systems NeuroscienceNorwegian University of Science and TechnologyTrondheimNorway
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18
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Patai EZ, Javadi AH, Ozubko JD, O’Callaghan A, Ji S, Robin J, Grady C, Winocur G, Rosenbaum RS, Moscovitch M, Spiers HJ. Hippocampal and Retrosplenial Goal Distance Coding After Long-term Consolidation of a Real-World Environment. Cereb Cortex 2019; 29:2748-2758. [PMID: 30916744 PMCID: PMC6519689 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research indicates the hippocampus may code the distance to the goal during navigation of newly learned environments. It is unclear however, whether this also pertains to highly familiar environments where extensive systems-level consolidation is thought to have transformed mnemonic representations. Here we recorded fMRI while University College London and Imperial College London students navigated virtual simulations of their own familiar campus (>2 years of exposure) and the other campus learned days before scanning. Posterior hippocampal activity tracked the distance to the goal in the newly learned campus, as well as in familiar environments when the future route contained many turns. By contrast retrosplenial cortex only tracked the distance to the goal in the familiar campus. All of these responses were abolished when participants were guided to their goal by external cues. These results open new avenues of research on navigation and consolidation of spatial information and underscore the notion that the hippocampus continues to play a role in navigation when detailed processing of the environment is needed for navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Zita Patai
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
| | - Amir-Homayoun Javadi
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
- School of Psychology, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Jason D Ozubko
- Department of Psychology, SUNY Geneseo, Geneseo New York, NY, USA
| | - Andrew O’Callaghan
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
| | - Shuman Ji
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jessica Robin
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Cheryl Grady
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Trent University, Peterborough, Canada
| | - Gordon Winocur
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Trent University, Peterborough, Canada
| | | | - Morris Moscovitch
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Hugo J Spiers
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
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19
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Selarka D, Rosenbaum RS, Lapp L, Levine B. Association between self-reported and performance-based navigational ability using internet-based remote spatial memory assessment. Memory 2018; 27:723-728. [DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2018.1554082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Dhawal Selarka
- Baycrest Health Sciences, Rotman Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - R. Shayna Rosenbaum
- Baycrest Health Sciences, Rotman Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Leann Lapp
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Brian Levine
- Baycrest Health Sciences, Rotman Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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20
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Spiers HJ, Olafsdottir HF, Lever C. Hippocampal CA1 activity correlated with the distance to the goal and navigation performance. Hippocampus 2018; 28:644-658. [PMID: 29149774 PMCID: PMC6282985 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.22813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2017] [Revised: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Coding the distance to a future goal is an important function of a neural system supporting navigation. While some evidence indicates the hippocampus increases activity with proximity to the goal, others have found activity to decrease with proximity. To explore goal distance coding in the hippocampus we recorded from CA1 hippocampal place cells in rats as they navigated to learned goals in an event arena with a win-stay lose-shift rule. CA1 activity was positively correlated with the distance - decreasing with proximity to the goal. The stronger the correlation between distance to the goal and CA1 activity, the more successful navigation was in a given task session. Acceleration, but not speed, was also correlated with the distance to the goal. However, the relationship between CA1 activity and navigation performance was independent of variation in acceleration and variation in speed. These results help clarify the situations in which CA1 activity encodes navigationally relevant information and the extent to which it relates to behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo J. Spiers
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Department of Experimental Psychology, UCL Institute of Behavioural NeuroscienceUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - H. Freyja Olafsdottir
- Division of Biosciences, Department of Cell & Developmental BiologyUniversity College LondonUK
| | - Colin Lever
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of DurhamDurhamUK
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21
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Zhao M. Human spatial representation: what we cannot learn from the studies of rodent navigation. J Neurophysiol 2018; 120:2453-2465. [PMID: 30133384 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00781.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies of human and rodent navigation often reveal a remarkable cross-species similarity between the cognitive and neural mechanisms of navigation. Such cross-species resemblance often overshadows some critical differences between how humans and nonhuman animals navigate. In this review, I propose that a navigation system requires both a storage system (i.e., representing spatial information) and a positioning system (i.e., sensing spatial information) to operate. I then argue that the way humans represent spatial information is different from that inferred from the cellular activity observed during rodent navigation. Such difference spans the whole hierarchy of spatial representation, from representing the structure of an environment to the representation of subregions of an environment, routes and paths, and the distance and direction relative to a goal location. These cross-species inconsistencies suggest that what we learn from rodent navigation does not always transfer to human navigation. Finally, I argue for closing the loop for the dominant, unidirectional animal-to-human approach in navigation research so that insights from behavioral studies of human navigation may also flow back to shed light on the cellular mechanisms of navigation for both humans and other mammals (i.e., a human-to-animal approach).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mintao Zhao
- School of Psychology, University of East Anglia , Norwich , United Kingdom.,Department of Human Perception, Cognition, and Action, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics , Tübingen , Germany
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22
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Brunec IK, Moscovitch M, Barense MD. Boundaries Shape Cognitive Representations of Spaces and Events. Trends Cogn Sci 2018; 22:637-650. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2018.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Revised: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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