1
|
Garg T, Velasco PF, Patai EZ, Malcolm CP, Kovalets V, Bohbot VD, Coutrot A, Hegarty M, Hornberger M, Spiers HJ. The relationship between object-based spatial ability and virtual navigation performance. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298116. [PMID: 38722850 PMCID: PMC11081363 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Spatial navigation is a multi-faceted behaviour drawing on many different aspects of cognition. Visuospatial abilities, such as mental rotation and visuospatial working memory, in particular, may be key factors. A range of tests have been developed to assess visuospatial processing and memory, but how such tests relate to navigation ability remains unclear. This understanding is important to advance tests of navigation for disease monitoring in various disorders (e.g., Alzheimer's disease) where spatial impairment is an early symptom. Here, we report the use of an established mobile gaming app, Sea Hero Quest (SHQ), as a measure of navigation ability in a sample of young, predominantly female university students (N = 78; 20; female = 74.3%; mean age = 20.33 years). We used three separate tests of navigation embedded in SHQ: wayfinding, path integration and spatial memory in a radial arm maze. In the same participants, we also collected measures of mental rotation (Mental Rotation Test), visuospatial processing (Design Organization Test) and visuospatial working memory (Digital Corsi). We found few strong correlations across our measures. Being good at wayfinding in a virtual navigation test does not mean an individual will also be good at path integration, have a superior memory in a radial arm maze, or rate themself as having a strong sense of direction. However, we observed that participants who were good in the wayfinding task of SHQ tended to perform well on the three visuospatial tasks examined here, and to also use a landmark strategy in the radial maze task. These findings help clarify the associations between different abilities involved in spatial navigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Garg
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Eva Zita Patai
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University, London, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte P. Malcolm
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Victor Kovalets
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Veronique D. Bohbot
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, McGill, Canada
| | | | - Mary Hegarty
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
| | - Michael Hornberger
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Hugo J. Spiers
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Faryadras M, Burles F, Iaria G, Davidsen J. Functional brain networks in Developmental Topographical Disorientation. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae104. [PMID: 38566506 PMCID: PMC10987990 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite a decade-long study on Developmental Topographical Disorientation, the underlying mechanism behind this neurological condition remains unknown. This lifelong selective inability in orientation, which causes these individuals to get lost even in familiar surroundings, is present in the absence of any other neurological disorder or acquired brain damage. Herein, we report an analysis of the functional brain network of individuals with Developmental Topographical Disorientation ($n = 19$) compared against that of healthy controls ($n = 21$), all of whom underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, to identify if and how their underlying functional brain network is altered. While the established resting-state networks (RSNs) are confirmed in both groups, there is, on average, a greater connectivity and connectivity strength, in addition to increased global and local efficiency in the overall functional network of the Developmental Topographical Disorientation group. In particular, there is an enhanced connectivity between some RSNs facilitated through indirect functional paths. We identify a handful of nodes that encode part of these differences. Overall, our findings provide strong evidence that the brain networks of individuals suffering from Developmental Topographical Disorientation are modified by compensatory mechanisms, which might open the door for new diagnostic tools.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mahsa Faryadras
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, T2N 1N4 AB, Canada
| | - Ford Burles
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, T2N 1N4 AB, Canada
| | - Giuseppe Iaria
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, T2N 1N4 AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, T2N 4N1 AB, Canada
| | - Jörn Davidsen
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, T2N 1N4 AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, T2N 4N1 AB, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Fragueiro A, Cury C, Santacroce F, Burles F, Iaria G, Committeri G. Medial positioning of the hippocampus and hippocampal fissure volume in developmental topographical disorientation. Hippocampus 2024; 34:204-216. [PMID: 38214182 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23599] [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: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Developmental topographical disorientation (DTD) refers to the lifelong inability to orient by means of cognitive maps in familiar surroundings despite otherwise well-preserved general cognitive functions, and the absence of any acquired brain injury or neurological condition. While reduced functional connectivity between the hippocampus and other brain regions has been reported in DTD individuals, no structural differences in gray matter tissue for the whole brain neither for the hippocampus were detected. Considering that the human hippocampus is the main structure associated with cognitive map-based navigation, here, we investigated differences in morphological and morphometric hippocampal features between individuals affected by DTD (N = 20) and healthy controls (N = 238). Specifically, we focused on a developmental anomaly of the hippocampus that is characterized by the incomplete infolding of hippocampal subfields during fetal development, giving the hippocampus a more round or pyramidal shape, called incomplete hippocampal inversion (IHI). We rated IHI according to standard criteria and extracted hippocampal subfield volumes after FreeSurfer's automatic segmentation. We observed similar IHI prevalence in the group of individuals with DTD with respect to the control population. Neither differences in whole hippocampal nor major hippocampal subfield volumes have been observed between groups. However, when assessing the IHI independent criteria, we observed that the hippocampus in the DTD group is more medially positioned comparing to the control group. In addition, we observed bigger hippocampal fissure volume for the DTD comparing to the control group. Both of these findings were stronger for the right hippocampus comparing to the left. Our results provide new insights regarding the hippocampal morphology of individuals affected by DTD, highlighting the role of structural anomalies during early prenatal development in line with the developmental nature of the spatial disorientation deficit.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Agustina Fragueiro
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, Inria, Inserm, IRISA UMR 6074, Empenn-ERL U 1228, Rennes, France
| | - Claire Cury
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, Inria, Inserm, IRISA UMR 6074, Empenn-ERL U 1228, Rennes, France
| | - Federica Santacroce
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, and ITAB, University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Ford Burles
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Giuseppe Iaria
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Giorgia Committeri
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, and ITAB, University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ekstrom AD, Hill PF. Spatial navigation and memory: A review of the similarities and differences relevant to brain models and age. Neuron 2023; 111:1037-1049. [PMID: 37023709 PMCID: PMC10083890 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
Spatial navigation and memory are often seen as heavily intertwined at the cognitive and neural levels of analysis. We review models that hypothesize a central role for the medial temporal lobes, including the hippocampus, in both navigation and aspects of memory, particularly allocentric navigation and episodic memory. While these models have explanatory power in instances in which they overlap, they are limited in explaining functional and neuroanatomical differences. Focusing on human cognition, we explore the idea of navigation as a dynamically acquired skill and memory as an internally driven process, which may better account for the differences between the two. We also review network models of navigation and memory, which place a greater emphasis on connections rather than the functions of focal brain regions. These models, in turn, may have greater explanatory power for the differences between navigation and memory and the differing effects of brain lesions and age.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arne D Ekstrom
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, 1503 E. University Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85719, USA; Evelyn McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, 1503 E. University Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85719, USA.
| | - Paul F Hill
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, 1503 E. University Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Spiers HJ, Coutrot A, Hornberger M. Explaining World-Wide Variation in Navigation Ability from Millions of People: Citizen Science Project Sea Hero Quest. Top Cogn Sci 2023; 15:120-138. [PMID: 34878689 DOI: 10.1111/tops.12590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Navigation ability varies widely across humans. Prior studies have reported that being younger and a male has an advantage for navigation ability. However, these studies have generally involved small numbers of participants from a handful of western countries. Here, we review findings from our project Sea Hero Quest, which used a video game for mobile and tablet devices to test 3.9 million people on their navigation ability, sampling across every nation-state and from 18 to 99 years of age. Results revealed that the task has good ecological validity and across all countries sufficiently sampled (N = 63), age is linked to a near-linear decline in navigation ability from the early 20s. All countries showed a male advantage, but this varied considerably and could be partly predicted by gender inequality. We found that those who reported growing up in a city were on average worse at navigating than those who grew up outside cities and that navigation performance helped identify those at greater genetic risk of Alzheimer's disease. We discuss the advantages and challenges of using a mobile app to study cognition and the future avenues for understanding individual differences in navigation ability arising from this research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hugo J Spiers
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, University College London
| | - Antoine Coutrot
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Numérique de Nantes, CNRS.,Laboratoire d'InfoRmatique en Image et Systèmes d'information, CNRS
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Miola L, Muffato V, Pazzaglia F, Meneghetti C. Men's and women's egocentric and allocentric knowledge: The involvement of mental rotation ability and spatial beliefs. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1130549. [PMID: 36910832 PMCID: PMC9995643 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1130549] [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: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Individual factors can play a relevant role in explaining gender differences in environmental learning in terms of visuospatial abilities and beliefs about spatial abilities, such as stereotypes and growth mindset about navigation ability. In this study, we aim to investigate how mental rotation ability and spatial beliefs interact in the acquisition of egocentric and allocentric spatial knowledge. A sample of 244 participants (140 women) completed individual difference measures, including a mental rotation test (MRT) and questionnaires on gender stereotypes and growth mindsets about navigation ability. Participants then learned a specific route in a virtual environment and performed an egocentric pointing task and an allocentric pointing task. Men performed better in mental rotation and egocentric pointing tasks. Moreover, mental rotation ability predicted both egocentric and allocentric pointing performance; growth mindset predicted allocentric pointing. In general, these results suggest that, despite gender differences in some spatial measures, cognitive abilities and beliefs contribute to supporting environmental knowledge in both men and women.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Miola
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Veronica Muffato
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Chiara Meneghetti
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Puscas M, Martineau G, Bhella G, Bonnen PE, Carr P, Lim R, Mitchell J, Osmond M, Urquieta E, Flamenbaum J, Iaria G, Joly Y, Richer É, Saary J, Saint-Jacques D, Buckley N, Low-Decarie E. Rare diseases and space health: optimizing synergies from scientific questions to care. NPJ Microgravity 2022; 8:58. [PMID: 36550172 PMCID: PMC9780351 DOI: 10.1038/s41526-022-00224-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowledge transfer among research disciplines can lead to substantial research progress. At first glance, astronaut health and rare diseases may be seen as having little common ground for such an exchange. However, deleterious health conditions linked to human space exploration may well be considered as a narrow sub-category of rare diseases. Here, we compare and contrast research and healthcare in the contexts of rare diseases and space health and identify common barriers and avenues of improvement. The prevalent genetic basis of most rare disorders contrasts sharply with the occupational considerations required to sustain human health in space. Nevertheless small sample sizes and large knowledge gaps in natural history are examples of the parallel challenges for research and clinical care in the context of both rare diseases and space health. The two areas also face the simultaneous challenges of evidence scarcity and the pressure to deliver therapeutic solutions, mandating expeditious translation of research knowledge into clinical care. Sharing best practices between these fields, including increasing participant involvement in all stages of research and ethical sharing of standardized data, has the potential to contribute to humankind's efforts to explore ever further into space while caring for people on Earth in a more inclusive fashion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Puscas
- Astronauts, Life Sciences and Space Medicine Canadian Space Agency, Government of Canada, Longueil, Canada
- The School of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Gabrielle Martineau
- Astronauts, Life Sciences and Space Medicine Canadian Space Agency, Government of Canada, Longueil, Canada
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB), Kaneohe, HI, USA
| | - Gurjot Bhella
- Astronauts, Life Sciences and Space Medicine Canadian Space Agency, Government of Canada, Longueil, Canada
- University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
| | - Penelope E Bonnen
- Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Phil Carr
- The Strategic Review Group Inc., Ottawa, Canada
| | - Robyn Lim
- Legislative and Regulatory Modernization, Health Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - John Mitchell
- Pediatric Endocrinology and Biochemical Genetics, Montreal Children's Hospital-McGill University, Human Genetics and Pediatrics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Matthew Osmond
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Emmanuel Urquieta
- Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) and Department of Emergency Medicine and Center for Space Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jaime Flamenbaum
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research Ethics Office, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Giuseppe Iaria
- Department of Psychology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Yann Joly
- Centre of Genomics and Policy, Faculty of Medicine, Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Étienne Richer
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Genetics, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Joan Saary
- Department of Medicine, Division of Occupational Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - David Saint-Jacques
- Astronauts, Life Sciences and Space Medicine Canadian Space Agency, Government of Canada, Longueil, Canada
- Astronauts, Life Sciences and Space Medicine Canadian Space Agency, Government of Canada, Longueil, Canada
| | - Nicole Buckley
- Astronauts, Life Sciences and Space Medicine Canadian Space Agency, Government of Canada, Longueil, Canada.
- Directorate of Human Spaceflight and Robotic Exploration, European Space Agency, Noordwijk, Holland.
| | - Etienne Low-Decarie
- Astronauts, Life Sciences and Space Medicine Canadian Space Agency, Government of Canada, Longueil, Canada.
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Government of Canada, Montreal, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Piccardi L, Cofini V, Palmiero M, Verde P, Boccia M, Palermo L, Guariglia C, Nori R. Where Am I? Searching for the Tangle in the Developmental Topographical Disorientation. Neurol Int 2022; 14:824-838. [PMID: 36278691 PMCID: PMC9589977 DOI: 10.3390/neurolint14040067] [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: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The Developmental Topographical Disorientation (DTD) is a pathological condition that impairs an individual’s ability to orient in space, even in the most familiar environments. It is a lifelong selective condition in individuals without brain damage or without impaired general cognitive functions. Here, we aimed at characterizing 54 individuals with DTD identified in a previous study, aged between 18 and 35 years and assessed through a 4-year-long online survey. To this purpose, we compared them with 54 matched healthy participants. We described the demographics, sense of direction, town knowledge, navigational strategies, left-right confusion as well as agnosic disorders (for landmarks, faces and objects). This novel study attempts to characterize the phenotype of DTD, providing an important contribution to the worldwide definition of a condition that was first described only 13 years ago, but which, considering the growing number of cases complaining of the disorder, deserves continuous and increasing attention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Piccardi
- Department of Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- IRCCS San Raffaele, 00163 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-06-49911
| | - Vincenza Cofini
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Science, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Palmiero
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
| | - Paola Verde
- ItAF Aerospace Test Division, Aerospace Medicine Department, 00040 Pratica di Mare, Italy
| | - Maddalena Boccia
- Department of Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy
| | - Liana Palermo
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Cecilia Guariglia
- Department of Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy
| | - Raffaella Nori
- Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Rondi-Reig L, Paradis AL, Fallahnezhad M. A Liaison Brought to Light: Cerebellum-Hippocampus, Partners for Spatial Cognition. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2022; 21:826-837. [PMID: 35752720 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-022-01422-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
This review focuses on the functional and anatomical links between the cerebellum and the hippocampus and the role of their interplay in goal-directed navigation and spatial cognition. We will describe the interactions between the cerebellum and the hippocampus at different scales: a macroscopic scale revealing the joint activations of these two structures at the level of neuronal circuits, a mesoscopic scale highlighting the synchronization of neuronal oscillations, and finally a cellular scale where we will describe the activity of hippocampal neuronal assemblies following a targeted manipulation of the cerebellar system. We will take advantage of this framework to summarize the different anatomical pathways that may sustain this multiscale interaction. We will finally consider the possible influence of the cerebellum on pathologies traditionally associated with hippocampal dysfunction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laure Rondi-Reig
- Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), Cerebellum Navigation and Memory Team (CeZaMe), Sorbonne Université, CNRS, INSERM, Neurosciences Paris Seine (NPS), 75005, Paris, France.
| | - Anne-Lise Paradis
- Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), Cerebellum Navigation and Memory Team (CeZaMe), Sorbonne Université, CNRS, INSERM, Neurosciences Paris Seine (NPS), 75005, Paris, France
| | - Mehdi Fallahnezhad
- Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), Cerebellum Navigation and Memory Team (CeZaMe), Sorbonne Université, CNRS, INSERM, Neurosciences Paris Seine (NPS), 75005, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Descloux V, Ruffieux N, Gasser AI, Maurer R. Severe developmental topographical disorientation associated with ADHD and dyscalculia: A case report. Neuropsychologia 2022; 174:108331. [PMID: 35842020 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108331] [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: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
We report the clinical case of AB, a right-handed 19-year-old woman who presents severe developmental topographical disorientation, a relatively rare syndrome, leading to difficulties in navigating in familiar (and novel) environments. This symptomatology appears without acquired cerebral damage (MRI described as normal) nor more global cognitive disability (high degree of education achieved). An extensive assessment of spatial cognition with different aspects of underlying cognitive processes is first presented. Second, the patient's preserved cognitive abilities and her major difficulties in calculation, as well as her attention deficit, as seen in a detailed neuropsychological assessment, are reported. For the first time to our knowledge, we show that developmental topographical disorientation can be associated with other developmental cognitive disorders affecting number processing (dyscalculia) and attention (Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)). We discuss the links between these different cognitive processes in relation to visuo-spatial working memory and magnitude representation, which could represent common denominators for all these syndromes. This case report highlights the importance of thoroughly assessing potentially associated neurocognitive disorders in developmental topographical disorientation. In addition, it highlights the necessity to keep in mind the prevalence of spatial difficulties in the assessment of children and adolescents with other neurodevelopmental syndromes. Finally, this case study raises a new question about the nosology of developmental disorders affecting the visuo-spatial and spatial domains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Virginie Descloux
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Neuropsychology Unit, Hopital Fribourgeois, Fribourg, Switzerland.
| | - Nicolas Ruffieux
- Neuropsychology Unit, Hopital Fribourgeois, Fribourg, Switzerland; Department of Special Education, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Anne-Isabelle Gasser
- Neuropsychology Unit, Hopital Fribourgeois, Fribourg, Switzerland; Mental Health Network Fribourg (FNPG), Marsens, Switzerland
| | - Roland Maurer
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Palermo L, Boccia M, Piccardi L, Nori R. Congenital lack and extraordinary ability in object and spatial imagery: An investigation on sub-types of aphantasia and hyperphantasia. Conscious Cogn 2022; 103:103360. [PMID: 35691243 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2022.103360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Studies that have shown a distinction between object and spatial imagery suggest more than one type of aphantasia and hyperphantasia, yet this has not been systematically investigated in studies on imagery ability extremes. Also, if the involuntary imagery is preserved in aphantasia and how this condition affects other skills is not fully clear. We collected data on spatial and object imagery, retrospective, and prospective memory, face recognition, and sense of direction (SOD), suggesting a distinction between two subtypes of aphantasia/hyperphantasia. Spatial aphantasia is associated with difficulties in visuo-spatial mental imagery and SOD. Instead, in object aphantasia there are difficulties in imaging single items and events - with no mental visualization of objects, out-of-focus, and black-and-white mental images more frequent than expected - in SOD and face recognition. Furthermore, associative involuntary imagery can be spared in aphantasia. The opposite pattern of performance was found in spatial and object hyperphantasia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liana Palermo
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, 'Magna Graecia' University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
| | - Maddalena Boccia
- Department of Psychology, 'Sapienza' University of Rome, Rome, Italy; I.R.C.C.S. Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Piccardi
- Department of Psychology, 'Sapienza' University of Rome, Rome, Italy; I.R.C.C.S. Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Raffaella Nori
- Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
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: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Barclay SF, Potocki K, Burles F, Bech-Hansen NT, Iaria G. Evaluation of APOE ɛ2/ɛ3/ɛ4 Alleles in a Cohort of Individuals Affected by Developmental Topographical Disorientation. J Alzheimers Dis Rep 2021; 5:565-570. [PMID: 34514340 PMCID: PMC8385428 DOI: 10.3233/adr-210304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The three common alleles of the APOE gene, ɛ2/ɛ3/ɛ4, have been linked to human spatial orientation. We investigated the genetic role of APOE in developmental topographical disorientation (DTD), a lifelong condition that results in topographical disorientation. We genotyped the APOE ɛ2/ɛ3/ɛ4 alleles in a cohort of 20 unrelated DTD probands, and found allele frequencies not statistically different from the those seen in the population as a whole. Therefore, we found no evidence that DTD occurs preferentially on a genetic background containing any particular APOE allele, making it unlikely that these APOE alleles are contributing to the development of DTD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah F Barclay
- Department of Medical Genetics and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Kendra Potocki
- Neurolab, Department of Psychology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ford Burles
- Neurolab, Department of Psychology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - N Torben Bech-Hansen
- Department of Medical Genetics and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Giuseppe Iaria
- Neurolab, Department of Psychology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Overcoming navigational challenges: A novel approach to the study and assessment of topographical orientation. Behav Res Methods 2021; 54:752-762. [PMID: 34346039 PMCID: PMC8330964 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-021-01666-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Several studies investigating environmental navigation require participants to navigate in virtual environments, in which the proprioceptive and vestibular components present during real environmental navigation are lost. Here, we aimed to provide a novel computerized ecological navigational battery, investigating whether the absence of proprioceptive and vestibular inputs yields a representation of the navigational space comparable to that acquired ecologically. In Study 1, 38 participants underwent two sets of tasks, one performed in a laboratory-based setting (LBS) and the other in an ecological environment (EE), with both including evaluation of route, landmark, and survey knowledge and a landmark ordering task. All tasks, except the route task, significantly correlated between EE and LBS. In LBS, performance in the landmark ordering task was predicted by that in the survey task, but not by those in the route and landmark tasks. Results of Study 1 were replicated in Study 2, in which 44 participants completed a modified and shorter online version of LBS tests. Reliability of the online LBS tests was also tested and showed a moderate-to-high internal consistency. Overall, results show that the conditions in which tasks are performed affect the acquisition of route knowledge, likely due to the lack of proprioceptive and vestibular information in LBS. However, LBS tasks presented here provide a standard battery of tests that can overcome the replicability problems encountered by ecological navigation tests, while taking into consideration all the complexities of navigational processes in terms of the use of landmark, route, and survey strategies.
Collapse
|
15
|
Rusconi ML, Fusi G, Stampatori C, Suardi A, Pinardi C, Ambrosi C, Costa T, Mattioli F. Developmental Topographical Disorientation With Concurrent Face Recognition Deficit: A Case Report. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:654071. [PMID: 34248701 PMCID: PMC8267524 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.654071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental topographical disorientation (DTD) has been defined as a developmental deficit in human navigational skills in the absence of congenital or acquired brain damage. We report the case of Lost In Space Again (LISA), a 22-year-old woman with a normal development and no clinical history of neurological or psychiatric diseases, evaluated twice, with an interval of 5 years. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination did not reveal any morphological alteration, while diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) showed a structural connectivity deficit (a decreased fractional anisotropy-FA) in the parieto-prefrontal and parieto-premotor pathway. The behavioral assessment showed different deficits in spatial and navigational tasks, which seemed to be connected to a poor ability to form a cognitive map of the environment. Moreover, LISA displayed a poor performance in high-level face encoding and retrieval. The aim of this case report is to share new insight about DTD in order to deepen the knowledge of this specific neurodevelopmental disorder. In conclusion, this novel DTD case (1) supports the hypothesis of the existence of different DTD subtypes; (2) sustains the evidence that DTD can co-occur (or not) with deficit in face recognition; and (3) highlights the need for an in-depth examination from both a neurocognitive and behavioral point of view of a possible common developmental defect between the formation of cognitive maps and the recognition of faces that might be in mental imagery skills. Future directions will be also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Luisa Rusconi
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Giulia Fusi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | | | - Angelo Suardi
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
| | | | | | - Tommaso Costa
- FOCUS Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | |
Collapse
|