1
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Thompson JC, Parkinson C. Interactions between neural representations of the social and spatial environment. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20220522. [PMID: 39230453 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Even in our highly interconnected modern world, geographic factors play an important role in human social connections. Similarly, social relationships influence how and where we travel, and how we think about our spatial world. Here, we review the growing body of neuroscience research that is revealing multiple interactions between social and spatial processes in both humans and non-human animals. We review research on the cognitive and neural representation of spatial and social information, and highlight recent findings suggesting that underlying mechanisms might be common to both. We discuss how spatial factors can influence social behaviour, and how social concepts modify representations of space. In so doing, this review elucidates not only how neural representations of social and spatial information interact but also similarities in how the brain represents and operates on analogous information about its social and spatial surroundings.This article is part of the theme issue 'The spatial-social interface: a theoretical and empirical integration'.
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Affiliation(s)
- James C Thompson
- Department of Psychology, and Center for Adaptive Systems of Brain-Body Interactions, George Mason University, MS3F5 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
| | - Carolyn Parkinson
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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2
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Bin Khalid I, Reifenstein ET, Auer N, Kunz L, Kempter R. Quantitative modeling of the emergence of macroscopic grid-like representations. eLife 2024; 13:e85742. [PMID: 39212203 PMCID: PMC11364436 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
When subjects navigate through spatial environments, grid cells exhibit firing fields that are arranged in a triangular grid pattern. Direct recordings of grid cells from the human brain are rare. Hence, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies proposed an indirect measure of entorhinal grid-cell activity, quantified as hexadirectional modulation of fMRI activity as a function of the subject's movement direction. However, it remains unclear how the activity of a population of grid cells may exhibit hexadirectional modulation. Here, we use numerical simulations and analytical calculations to suggest that this hexadirectional modulation is best explained by head-direction tuning aligned to the grid axes, whereas it is not clearly supported by a bias of grid cells toward a particular phase offset. Firing-rate adaptation can result in hexadirectional modulation, but the available cellular data is insufficient to clearly support or refute this option. The magnitude of hexadirectional modulation furthermore depends considerably on the subject's navigation pattern, indicating that future fMRI studies could be designed to test which hypothesis most likely accounts for the fMRI measure of grid cells. Our findings also underline the importance of quantifying the properties of human grid cells to further elucidate how hexadirectional modulations of fMRI activity may emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ikhwan Bin Khalid
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience BerlinBerlinGermany
- Institute for Theoretical Biology, Department of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
- Einstein Center for Neurosciences BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Eric T Reifenstein
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience BerlinBerlinGermany
- Institute for Theoretical Biology, Department of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Freie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Naomi Auer
- Institute for Theoretical Biology, Department of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Lukas Kunz
- Department of Epileptology, University Hospital BonnBonnGermany
| | - Richard Kempter
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience BerlinBerlinGermany
- Institute for Theoretical Biology, Department of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
- Einstein Center for Neurosciences BerlinBerlinGermany
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3
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Long X, Wang X, Deng B, Shen R, Lv SQ, Zhang SJ. Intrinsic Bipolar Head-Direction Cells in the Medial Entorhinal Cortex. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024:e2401216. [PMID: 39206928 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202401216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Head-direction (HD) cells are a fundamental component in the hippocampal-entorhinal circuit for spatial navigation and help maintain an internal sense of direction to anchor the orientation in space. A classical HD cell robustly increases its firing rate when the head is oriented toward a specific direction, with each cell tuned to only one direction. Although unidirectional HD cells are reported broadly across multiple brain regions, computation modelling has predicted the existence of multiple equilibrium states of HD network, which has yet to be proven. In this study, a novel HD variant of bipolar HD cells in the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) are identified that exhibit stable double-peaked directional tuning properties. The bipolar patterns remain stable in the darkness and across environments of distinct geometric shapes. Moreover, bipolar HD cells co-rotate coherently with unipolar HD cells to anchor the external visual cue. The discovery reveals a new spatial cell type of bipolar HD cells, whose unique activity patterns may comprise a potential building block for a sophisticated local neural circuit configuration for the internal representation of direction. These findings may contribute to the understanding of how the brain processes spatial information by shedding light on the role of bipolar HD cells in this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyang Long
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Xiaoxia Wang
- Department of Basic Psychology, School of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Bin Deng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Rui Shen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Sheng-Qing Lv
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Sheng-Jia Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
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4
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Dorian CC, Taxidis J, Golshani P. Non-spatial hippocampal behavioral timescale synaptic plasticity during working memory is gated by entorhinal inputs. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.27.609983. [PMID: 39253411 PMCID: PMC11383060 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.27.609983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
Behavioral timescale synaptic plasticity (BTSP) is a form of synaptic potentiation where the occurrence of a single large plateau potential in CA1 hippocampal neurons leads to the formation of reliable place fields during spatial learning tasks. We asked whether BTSP could also be a plasticity mechanism for generation of non-spatial responses in the hippocampus and what roles the medial and lateral entorhinal cortex (MEC and LEC) play in driving non-spatial BTSP. By performing simultaneous calcium imaging of dorsal CA1 neurons and chemogenetic inhibition of LEC or MEC while mice performed an olfactory working memory task, we discovered BTSP-like events which formed stable odor-specific fields. Critically, the success rate of calcium events generating a significant odor-field increased with event amplitude, and large events exhibited asymmetrical formation with the newly formed odor-fields preceding the timepoint of their induction event. We found that MEC and LEC play distinct roles in modulating BTSP: MEC inhibition reduced the frequency of large calcium events, while LEC inhibition reduced the success rate of odor-field generation. Using two-photon calcium imaging of LEC and MEC temporammonic axons projecting to CA1, we found that LEC projections to CA1 were strongly odor selective even early in task learning, while MEC projection odor-selectivity increased with task learning but remained weaker than LEC. Finally, we found that LEC and MEC inhibition both slowed representational drift of odor representations in CA1 across 48 hours. Altogether, odor-specific information from LEC and strong odor-timed activity from MEC are crucial for driving BTSP in CA1, which is a synaptic plasticity mechanism for generation of both spatial and non-spatial responses in the hippocampus that may play a role in explaining representational drift and one-shot learning of non-spatial information.
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5
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Robinson JC, Ying J, Hasselmo ME, Brandon MP. Optogenetic silencing of medial septal GABAergic neurons disrupts grid cell spatial and temporal coding in the medial entorhinal cortex. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114590. [PMID: 39163200 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114590] [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: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus and medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) form a cognitive map that facilitates spatial navigation. As part of this map, MEC grid cells fire in a repeating hexagonal pattern across an environment. This grid pattern relies on inputs from the medial septum (MS). The MS, and specifically GABAergic neurons, are essential for theta rhythm oscillations in the entorhinal-hippocampal network; however, the role of this population in grid cell function is unclear. To investigate this, we use optogenetics to inhibit MS-GABAergic neurons and observe that MS-GABAergic inhibition disrupts grid cell spatial periodicity. Grid cell spatial periodicity is disrupted during both optogenetic inhibition periods and short inter-stimulus intervals. In contrast, longer inter-stimulus intervals allow for the recovery of grid cell spatial firing. In addition, grid cell phase precession is also disrupted. These findings highlight the critical role of MS-GABAergic neurons in maintaining grid cell spatial and temporal coding in the MEC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C Robinson
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Johnson Ying
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal QC, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Michael E Hasselmo
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mark P Brandon
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal QC, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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6
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Ouchi A, Fujisawa S. Predictive grid coding in the medial entorhinal cortex. Science 2024; 385:776-784. [PMID: 39146428 DOI: 10.1126/science.ado4166] [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: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
The entorhinal cortex represents allocentric spatial geometry and egocentric speed and heading information required for spatial navigation. However, it remains unclear whether it contributes to the prediction of an animal's future location. We discovered grid cells in the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) that have grid fields representing future locations during goal-directed behavior. These predictive grid cells represented prospective spatial information by shifting their grid fields against the direction of travel. Predictive grid cells discharged at the trough phases of the hippocampal CA1 theta oscillation and, together with other types of grid cells, organized sequences of the trajectory from the current to future positions across each theta cycle. Our results suggest that the MEC provides a predictive map that supports forward planning in spatial navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayako Ouchi
- Laboratory for Systems Neurophysiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako City, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Shigeyoshi Fujisawa
- Laboratory for Systems Neurophysiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako City, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
- Department of Complexity Science and Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8561, Japan
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7
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Lv S, Mo F, Xu Z, Wang Y, Yang G, Han M, Jing L, Xu W, Duan Y, Liu Y, Li M, Liu J, Luo J, Wang M, Song Y, Wu Y, Cai X. Tentacle Microelectrode Arrays Uncover Soft Boundary Neurons in Hippocampal CA1. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2401670. [PMID: 38828784 PMCID: PMC11304256 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202401670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Hippocampal CA1 neurons show intense firing at specific spatial locations, modulated by isolated landmarks. However, the impact of real-world scene transitions on neuronal activity remains unclear. Moreover, long-term neural recording during movement challenges device stability. Conventional rigid-based electrodes cause inflammatory responses, restricting recording durations. Inspired by the jellyfish tentacles, the multi-conductive layer ultra-flexible microelectrode arrays (MEAs) are developed. The tentacle MEAs ensure stable recordings during movement, thereby enabling the discovery of soft boundary neurons. The soft boundary neurons demonstrate high-frequency firing that aligns with the boundaries of scene transitions. Furthermore, the localization ability of soft boundary neurons improves with more scene transition boundaries, and their activity decreases when these boundaries are removed. The innovation of ultra-flexible, high-biocompatible tentacle MEAs improves the understanding of neural encoding in spatial cognition. They offer the potential for long-term in vivo recording of neural information, facilitating breakthroughs in the understanding and application of brain spatial navigation mehanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiya Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer TechnologyAerospace Information Research InstituteChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Fan Mo
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer TechnologyAerospace Information Research InstituteChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Zhaojie Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer TechnologyAerospace Information Research InstituteChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Yu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer TechnologyAerospace Information Research InstituteChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Gucheng Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer TechnologyAerospace Information Research InstituteChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Meiqi Han
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer TechnologyAerospace Information Research InstituteChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Luyi Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer TechnologyAerospace Information Research InstituteChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Wei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer TechnologyAerospace Information Research InstituteChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Yiming Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer TechnologyAerospace Information Research InstituteChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Yaoyao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer TechnologyAerospace Information Research InstituteChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Ming Li
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer TechnologyAerospace Information Research InstituteChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Juntao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer TechnologyAerospace Information Research InstituteChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Jinping Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer TechnologyAerospace Information Research InstituteChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Mixia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer TechnologyAerospace Information Research InstituteChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Yilin Song
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer TechnologyAerospace Information Research InstituteChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Yirong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer TechnologyAerospace Information Research InstituteChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Xinxia Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer TechnologyAerospace Information Research InstituteChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
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8
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Dong LL, Fiete IR. Grid Cells in Cognition: Mechanisms and Function. Annu Rev Neurosci 2024; 47:345-368. [PMID: 38684081 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-101323-112047] [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] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The activity patterns of grid cells form distinctively regular triangular lattices over the explored spatial environment and are largely invariant to visual stimuli, animal movement, and environment geometry. These neurons present numerous fascinating challenges to the curious (neuro)scientist: What are the circuit mechanisms responsible for creating spatially periodic activity patterns from the monotonic input-output responses of single neurons? How and why does the brain encode a local, nonperiodic variable-the allocentric position of the animal-with a periodic, nonlocal code? And, are grid cells truly specialized for spatial computations? Otherwise, what is their role in general cognition more broadly? We review efforts in uncovering the mechanisms and functional properties of grid cells, highlighting recent progress in the experimental validation of mechanistic grid cell models, and discuss the coding properties and functional advantages of the grid code as suggested by continuous attractor network models of grid cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling L Dong
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA;
| | - Ila R Fiete
- McGovern Institute and K. Lisa Yang Integrative Computational Neuroscience Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA;
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9
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Dubanet O, Higley MJ. Retrosplenial inputs drive visual representations in the medial entorhinal cortex. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114470. [PMID: 38985682 PMCID: PMC11300029 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114470] [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: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The importance of visual cues for navigation and goal-directed behavior is well established, although the neural mechanisms supporting sensory representations in navigational circuits are largely unknown. Navigation is fundamentally dependent on the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC), which receives direct projections from neocortical visual areas, including the retrosplenial cortex (RSC). Here, we perform high-density recordings of MEC neurons in awake, head-fixed mice presented with simple visual stimuli and assess the dynamics of sensory-evoked activity. We find that a large fraction of neurons exhibit robust responses to visual input. Visually responsive cells are located primarily in layer 3 of the dorsal MEC and can be separated into subgroups based on functional and molecular properties. Furthermore, optogenetic suppression of RSC afferents within the MEC strongly reduces visual responses. Overall, our results demonstrate that the MEC can encode simple visual cues in the environment that may contribute to neural representations of location necessary for accurate navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Dubanet
- Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Michael J Higley
- Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
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10
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Gandit B, Posani L, Zhang CL, Saha S, Ortiz C, Allegra M, Schmidt-Hieber C. Transformation of spatial representations along hippocampal circuits. iScience 2024; 27:110361. [PMID: 39071886 PMCID: PMC11277690 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110361] [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] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus is thought to provide the brain with a cognitive map of the external world by processing various types of spatial information. To understand how essential spatial variables such as direction, position, and distance are transformed along its circuits to construct this global map, we perform single-photon widefield microendoscope calcium imaging in the dentate gyrus and CA3 of mice freely navigating along a narrow corridor. We find that spatial activity maps in the dentate gyrus, but not in CA3, are correlated after aligning them to the running directions, suggesting that they represent the distance traveled along the track in egocentric coordinates. Together with population activity decoding, our data suggest that while spatial representations in the dentate gyrus and CA3 are anchored in both egocentric and allocentric coordinates, egocentric distance coding is more prevalent in the dentate gyrus than in CA3, providing insights into the assembly of the cognitive map.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bérénice Gandit
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Neural Circuits for Spatial Navigation and Memory, Department of Neuroscience, F-75015 Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, Collège Doctoral, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Lorenzo Posani
- Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chun-Lei Zhang
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Neural Circuits for Spatial Navigation and Memory, Department of Neuroscience, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Soham Saha
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Neural Circuits for Spatial Navigation and Memory, Department of Neuroscience, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Cantin Ortiz
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Neural Circuits for Spatial Navigation and Memory, Department of Neuroscience, F-75015 Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, Collège Doctoral, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Manuela Allegra
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Neural Circuits for Spatial Navigation and Memory, Department of Neuroscience, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Christoph Schmidt-Hieber
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Neural Circuits for Spatial Navigation and Memory, Department of Neuroscience, F-75015 Paris, France
- Institute for Physiology I, Jena University Hospital, 07743 Jena, Germany
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11
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Fu Y, Cao Z, Ye T, Yang H, Chu C, Lei C, Wen Y, Cai Z, Yuan Y, Guo X, Yang L, Sheng H, Cui D, Shao D, Chen M, Lai B, Zheng P. Projection neurons from medial entorhinal cortex to basolateral amygdala are critical for the retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory. iScience 2024; 27:110239. [PMID: 39021787 PMCID: PMC11253517 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110239] [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] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) is crucial for contextual memory, yet its role in context-induced retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory remains unclear. This study investigated the role of the MEC and its projection neurons from MEC layer 5 to the basolateral amygdala (BLA) (MEC-BLA neurons) in context-induced retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory. Results show that context activates the MEC in morphine withdrawal mice, and the inactivation of the MEC inhibits context-induced retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory. At neural circuits, context activates MEC-BLA neurons in morphine withdrawal mice, and the inactivation of MEC-BLA neurons inhibits context-induced retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory. But MEC-BLA neurons are not activated by conditioning of context and morphine withdrawal, and the inhibition of MEC-BLA neurons do not influence the coupling of context and morphine withdrawal memory. These results suggest that MEC-BLA neurons are critical for the retrieval, but not for the formation, of morphine withdrawal memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yali Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontier Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurology of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zixuan Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontier Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurology of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ting Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontier Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurology of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Hao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontier Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurology of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Chenshan Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontier Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurology of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Chao Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontier Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurology of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yaxian Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontier Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurology of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhangyin Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontier Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurology of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yu Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontier Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurology of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xinli Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontier Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurology of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Li Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontier Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurology of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Huan Sheng
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontier Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurology of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Dongyang Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontier Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurology of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Da Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontier Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurology of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ming Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontier Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurology of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Bin Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontier Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurology of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ping Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontier Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurology of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Medical College of China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
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12
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Schaeffer EA, Oltmanns JRO, Blackwell AA, Lake R, Hastings P, Whishaw IQ, Wallace DG. Application of scaling to mouse spontaneous movement: Path curvature varies with speed and linear distance features isochrony. Behav Brain Res 2024; 469:115062. [PMID: 38768689 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115062] [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: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
To conserve sequential behavior in relation to the topographic challenges of space, it is proposed that humans and nonhuman animals can organize behavior using different scaling principles. To deal with increases in linear distance, isochrony suggest that there is a corresponding increase in speed, whereas to deal with changes in curvature, speed is adjusted according to a power function. The present study investigates whether these principles provide a framework for describing the organization of mouse behavior in a variety of standard experimental tasks. The structure of movement was examined in ambulation during open field exploration; manipulation in a string-pulling task, in which a string is advanced hand over hand to retrieve food; and rung-walking, in which the limbs successively step from rung to rung on a horizontal ladder. Both principles were found to be conserved in the organization of mouse behavior across scales of movement. These principles provide novel measures of the temporal and geometric features of movement in the mouse and insights into how the temporal and geometric features of movement are conserved within different species.
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Affiliation(s)
- E A Schaeffer
- Department of Psychology, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA.
| | | | - A A Blackwell
- Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vagas NV, USA
| | - R Lake
- Department of Psychology, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA
| | - P Hastings
- School of Computing, DePaul University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - I Q Whishaw
- Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - D G Wallace
- Department of Psychology, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA
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13
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Hamad MIK, Daoud S, Petrova P, Rabaya O, Jbara A, Al Houqani S, BaniYas S, Alblooshi M, Almheiri A, Nakhal MM, Ali BR, Shehab S, Allouh MZ, Emerald BS, Schneider-Lódi M, Bataineh MF, Herz J, Förster E. Reelin differentially shapes dendrite morphology of medial entorhinal cortical ocean and island cells. Development 2024; 151:dev202449. [PMID: 38856043 PMCID: PMC11234379 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202449] [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: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
The function of medial entorhinal cortex layer II (MECII) excitatory neurons has been recently explored. MECII dysfunction underlies deficits in spatial navigation and working memory. MECII neurons comprise two major excitatory neuronal populations, pyramidal island and stellate ocean cells, in addition to the inhibitory interneurons. Ocean cells express reelin and surround clusters of island cells that lack reelin expression. The influence of reelin expression by ocean cells and interneurons on their own morphological differentiation and that of MECII island cells has remained unknown. To address this, we used a conditional reelin knockout (RelncKO) mouse to induce reelin deficiency postnatally in vitro and in vivo. Reelin deficiency caused dendritic hypertrophy of ocean cells, interneurons and only proximal dendritic compartments of island cells. Ca2+ recording showed that both cell types exhibited an elevation of calcium frequencies in RelncKO, indicating that the hypertrophic effect is related to excessive Ca2+ signalling. Moreover, pharmacological receptor blockade in RelncKO mouse revealed malfunctioning of GABAB, NMDA and AMPA receptors. Collectively, this study emphasizes the significance of reelin in neuronal growth, and its absence results in dendrite hypertrophy of MECII neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad I. K. Hamad
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 17666, United Arab Emirates
| | - Solieman Daoud
- Department of Neuroanatomy and Molecular Brain Research, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum 44801, Germany
| | - Petya Petrova
- Department of Neuroanatomy and Molecular Brain Research, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum 44801, Germany
| | - Obada Rabaya
- Department of Neuroanatomy and Molecular Brain Research, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum 44801, Germany
| | - Abdalrahim Jbara
- Department of Neuroanatomy and Molecular Brain Research, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum 44801, Germany
| | - Shaikha Al Houqani
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 17666, United Arab Emirates
| | - Shamsa BaniYas
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 17666, United Arab Emirates
| | - Meera Alblooshi
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 17666, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ayesha Almheiri
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 17666, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohammed M. Nakhal
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 17666, United Arab Emirates
| | - Bassam R. Ali
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 17666, United Arab Emirates
| | - Safa Shehab
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 17666, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohammed Z. Allouh
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 17666, United Arab Emirates
| | - Bright Starling Emerald
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 17666, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mária Schneider-Lódi
- Department of Neuroanatomy and Molecular Brain Research, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum 44801, Germany
| | - Mo'ath F. Bataineh
- Department of Nutrition and Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 17666, United Arab Emirates
| | - Joachim Herz
- Departments of Molecular Genetics, Neuroscience, Neurology and Neurotherapeutics; Center for Translational Neurodegeneration Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Eckart Förster
- Department of Neuroanatomy and Molecular Brain Research, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum 44801, Germany
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14
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Hermansen E, Klindt DA, Dunn BA. Uncovering 2-D toroidal representations in grid cell ensemble activity during 1-D behavior. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5429. [PMID: 38926360 PMCID: PMC11208534 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49703-1] [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: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Minimal experiments, such as head-fixed wheel-running and sleep, offer experimental advantages but restrict the amount of observable behavior, making it difficult to classify functional cell types. Arguably, the grid cell, and its striking periodicity, would not have been discovered without the perspective provided by free behavior in an open environment. Here, we show that by shifting the focus from single neurons to populations, we change the minimal experimental complexity required. We identify grid cell modules and show that the activity covers a similar, stable toroidal state space during wheel running as in open field foraging. Trajectories on grid cell tori correspond to single trial runs in virtual reality and path integration in the dark, and the alignment of the representation rapidly shifts with changes in experimental conditions. Thus, we provide a methodology to discover and study complex internal representations in even the simplest of experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Hermansen
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - David A Klindt
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, Laurel Hollow, New York, USA
| | - Benjamin A Dunn
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway.
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15
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McKissick O, Klimpert N, Ritt JT, Fleischmann A. Odors in space. Front Neural Circuits 2024; 18:1414452. [PMID: 38978957 PMCID: PMC11228174 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2024.1414452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
As an evolutionarily ancient sense, olfaction is key to learning where to find food, shelter, mates, and important landmarks in an animal's environment. Brain circuitry linking odor and navigation appears to be a well conserved multi-region system among mammals; the anterior olfactory nucleus, piriform cortex, entorhinal cortex, and hippocampus each represent different aspects of olfactory and spatial information. We review recent advances in our understanding of the neural circuits underlying odor-place associations, highlighting key choices of behavioral task design and neural circuit manipulations for investigating learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia McKissick
- Department of Neuroscience and Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Nell Klimpert
- Department of Neuroscience and Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Jason T Ritt
- Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Alexander Fleischmann
- Department of Neuroscience and Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
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16
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Long X, Deng B, Shen R, Yang L, Chen L, Ran Q, Du X, Zhang SJ. Border cells without theta rhythmicity in the medial prefrontal cortex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2321614121. [PMID: 38857401 PMCID: PMC11194599 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2321614121] [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: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is a key brain structure for higher cognitive functions such as decision-making and goal-directed behavior, many of which require awareness of spatial variables including one's current position within the surrounding environment. Although previous studies have reported spatially tuned activities in mPFC during memory-related trajectory, the spatial tuning of mPFC network during freely foraging behavior remains elusive. Here, we reveal geometric border or border-proximal representations from the neural activity of mPFC ensembles during naturally exploring behavior, with both allocentric and egocentric boundary responses. Unlike most of classical border cells in the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) discharging along a single wall, a large majority of border cells in mPFC fire particularly along four walls. mPFC border cells generate new firing fields to external insert, and remain stable under darkness, across distinct shapes, and in novel environments. In contrast to hippocampal theta entrainment during spatial working memory tasks, mPFC border cells rarely exhibited theta rhythmicity during spontaneous locomotion behavior. These findings reveal spatially modulated activity in mPFC, supporting local computation for cognitive functions involving spatial context and contributing to a broad spatial tuning property of cortical circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyang Long
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing400037, China
| | - Bin Deng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing400037, China
| | - Rui Shen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing400037, China
| | - Lin Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing400037, China
| | - Liping Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing400037, China
| | - Qingxia Ran
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing400037, China
| | - Xin Du
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing400037, China
| | - Sheng-Jia Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing400037, China
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17
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Liang Z, Wu S, Wu J, Wang WX, Qin S, Liu C. Distance and grid-like codes support the navigation of abstract social space in the human brain. eLife 2024; 12:RP89025. [PMID: 38875004 DOI: 10.7554/elife.89025] [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] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
People form impressions about others during daily social encounters and infer personality traits from others' behaviors. Such trait inference is thought to rely on two universal dimensions: competence and warmth. These two dimensions can be used to construct a 'social cognitive map' organizing massive information obtained from social encounters efficiently. Originating from spatial cognition, the neural codes supporting the representation and navigation of spatial cognitive maps have been widely studied. Recent studies suggest similar neural mechanism subserves the map-like architecture in social cognition as well. Here we investigated how spatial codes operate beyond the physical environment and support the representation and navigation of social cognitive map. We designed a social value space defined by two dimensions of competence and warmth. Behaviorally, participants were able to navigate to a learned location from random starting locations in this abstract social space. At the neural level, we identified the representation of distance in the precuneus, fusiform gyrus, and middle occipital gyrus. We also found partial evidence of grid-like representation patterns in the medial prefrontal cortex and entorhinal cortex. Moreover, the intensity of grid-like response scaled with the performance of navigating in social space and social avoidance trait scores. Our findings suggest a neurocognitive mechanism by which social information can be organized into a structured representation, namely cognitive map and its relevance to social well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zilu Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Simeng Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Wen-Xu Wang
- School of Systems Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Shaozheng Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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18
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Redman WT, Acosta-Mendoza S, Wei XX, Goard MJ. Robust variability of grid cell properties within individual grid modules enhances encoding of local space. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.27.582373. [PMID: 38915504 PMCID: PMC11195105 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.27.582373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Although grid cells are one of the most well studied functional classes of neurons in the mammalian brain, the assumption that there is a single grid orientation and spacing per grid module has not been carefully tested. We investigate and analyze a recent large-scale recording of medial entorhinal cortex to characterize the presence and degree of heterogeneity of grid properties within individual modules. We find evidence for small, but robust, variability and hypothesize that this property of the grid code could enhance the ability of encoding local spatial information. Performing analysis on synthetic populations of grid cells, where we have complete control over the amount heterogeneity in grid properties, we demonstrate that variability, of a similar magnitude to the analyzed data, leads to significantly decreased decoding error, even when restricted to activity from a single module. Our results highlight how the heterogeneity of the neural response properties may benefit coding and opens new directions for theoretical and experimental analysis of grid cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- William T Redman
- Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Dynamical Neuroscience, University of California, Santa Barbara
- Intelligent Systems Center, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab
| | - Santiago Acosta-Mendoza
- Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Dynamical Neuroscience, University of California, Santa Barbara
| | - Xue-Xin Wei
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin
- Center for Perceptual Systems, The University of Texas at Austin
- Center for Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin
| | - Michael J Goard
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California Santa Barbara
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19
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Neupane S, Fiete I, Jazayeri M. Mental navigation in the primate entorhinal cortex. Nature 2024; 630:704-711. [PMID: 38867051 PMCID: PMC11224022 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07557-z] [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: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
A cognitive map is a suitably structured representation that enables novel computations using previous experience; for example, planning a new route in a familiar space1. Work in mammals has found direct evidence for such representations in the presence of exogenous sensory inputs in both spatial2,3 and non-spatial domains4-10. Here we tested a foundational postulate of the original cognitive map theory1,11: that cognitive maps support endogenous computations without external input. We recorded from the entorhinal cortex of monkeys in a mental navigation task that required the monkeys to use a joystick to produce one-dimensional vectors between pairs of visual landmarks without seeing the intermediate landmarks. The ability of the monkeys to perform the task and generalize to new pairs indicated that they relied on a structured representation of the landmarks. Task-modulated neurons exhibited periodicity and ramping that matched the temporal structure of the landmarks and showed signatures of continuous attractor networks12,13. A continuous attractor network model of path integration14 augmented with a Hebbian-like learning mechanism provided an explanation of how the system could endogenously recall landmarks. The model also made an unexpected prediction that endogenous landmarks transiently slow path integration, reset the dynamics and thereby reduce variability. This prediction was borne out in a reanalysis of firing rate variability and behaviour. Our findings link the structured patterns of activity in the entorhinal cortex to the endogenous recruitment of a cognitive map during mental navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujaya Neupane
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ila Fiete
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mehrdad Jazayeri
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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20
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Shirdhankar RN, Malkemper EP. Cognitive maps and the magnetic sense in vertebrates. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2024; 86:102880. [PMID: 38657284 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2024.102880] [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: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Navigation requires a network of neurons processing inputs from internally generated cues and external landmarks. Most studies on the neuronal basis of navigation in vertebrates have focused on rats and mice and the canonical senses vision, hearing, olfaction, and somatosensation. Some animals have evolved the ability to sense the Earth's magnetic field and use it for orientation. It can be expected that in these animals magnetic cues are integrated with other sensory cues in the cognitive map. We provide an overview of the behavioral evidence and brain regions involved in magnetic sensing in support of this idea, hoping that this will guide future experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runita N Shirdhankar
- Research Group Neurobiology of Magnetoreception, Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior - Caesar, Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, Bonn 53175, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Brain and Behavior, Bonn, Germany
| | - E Pascal Malkemper
- Research Group Neurobiology of Magnetoreception, Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior - Caesar, Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, Bonn 53175, Germany.
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21
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Sutton NM, Gutiérrez-Guzmán BE, Dannenberg H, Ascoli GA. A Continuous Attractor Model with Realistic Neural and Synaptic Properties Quantitatively Reproduces Grid Cell Physiology. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6059. [PMID: 38892248 PMCID: PMC11173171 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116059] [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: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Computational simulations with data-driven physiological detail can foster a deeper understanding of the neural mechanisms involved in cognition. Here, we utilize the wealth of cellular properties from Hippocampome.org to study neural mechanisms of spatial coding with a spiking continuous attractor network model of medial entorhinal cortex circuit activity. The primary goal is to investigate if adding such realistic constraints could produce firing patterns similar to those measured in real neurons. Biological characteristics included in the work are excitability, connectivity, and synaptic signaling of neuron types defined primarily by their axonal and dendritic morphologies. We investigate the spiking dynamics in specific neuron types and the synaptic activities between groups of neurons. Modeling the rodent hippocampal formation keeps the simulations to a computationally reasonable scale while also anchoring the parameters and results to experimental measurements. Our model generates grid cell activity that well matches the spacing, size, and firing rates of grid fields recorded in live behaving animals from both published datasets and new experiments performed for this study. Our simulations also recreate different scales of those properties, e.g., small and large, as found along the dorsoventral axis of the medial entorhinal cortex. Computational exploration of neuronal and synaptic model parameters reveals that a broad range of neural properties produce grid fields in the simulation. These results demonstrate that the continuous attractor network model of grid cells is compatible with a spiking neural network implementation sourcing data-driven biophysical and anatomical parameters from Hippocampome.org. The software (version 1.0) is released as open source to enable broad community reuse and encourage novel applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nate M. Sutton
- Bioengineering Department, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA; (N.M.S.); (B.E.G.-G.); (H.D.)
| | - Blanca E. Gutiérrez-Guzmán
- Bioengineering Department, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA; (N.M.S.); (B.E.G.-G.); (H.D.)
| | - Holger Dannenberg
- Bioengineering Department, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA; (N.M.S.); (B.E.G.-G.); (H.D.)
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
| | - Giorgio A. Ascoli
- Bioengineering Department, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA; (N.M.S.); (B.E.G.-G.); (H.D.)
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
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22
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Shao Q, Chen L, Li X, Li M, Cui H, Li X, Zhao X, Shi Y, Sun Q, Yan K, Wang G. A non-canonical visual cortical-entorhinal pathway contributes to spatial navigation. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4122. [PMID: 38750027 PMCID: PMC11096324 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48483-y] [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: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Visual information is important for accurate spatial coding and memory-guided navigation. As a crucial area for spatial cognition, the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) harbors diverse spatially tuned cells and functions as the major gateway relaying sensory inputs to the hippocampus containing place cells. However, how visual information enters the MEC has not been fully understood. Here, we identify a pathway originating in the secondary visual cortex (V2) and directly targeting MEC layer 5a (L5a). L5a neurons served as a network hub for visual processing in the MEC by routing visual inputs from multiple V2 areas to other local neurons and hippocampal CA1. Interrupting this pathway severely impaired visual stimulus-evoked neural activity in the MEC and performance of mice in navigation tasks. These observations reveal a visual cortical-entorhinal pathway highlighting the role of MEC L5a in sensory information transmission, a function typically attributed to MEC superficial layers before.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiming Shao
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Ligu Chen
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Xiaowan Li
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Miao Li
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Hui Cui
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Xiaoyue Li
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Xinran Zhao
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Yuying Shi
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Qiang Sun
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Kaiyue Yan
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Guangfu Wang
- HIT Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China.
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23
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Piza DB, Corrigan BW, Gulli RA, Do Carmo S, Cuello AC, Muller L, Martinez-Trujillo J. Primacy of vision shapes behavioral strategies and neural substrates of spatial navigation in marmoset hippocampus. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4053. [PMID: 38744848 PMCID: PMC11093997 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48374-2] [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: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The role of the hippocampus in spatial navigation has been primarily studied in nocturnal mammals, such as rats, that lack many adaptations for daylight vision. Here we demonstrate that during 3D navigation, the common marmoset, a new world primate adapted to daylight, predominantly uses rapid head-gaze shifts for visual exploration while remaining stationary. During active locomotion marmosets stabilize the head, in contrast to rats that use low-velocity head movements to scan the environment as they locomote. Pyramidal neurons in the marmoset hippocampus CA3/CA1 regions predominantly show mixed selectivity for 3D spatial view, head direction, and place. Exclusive place selectivity is scarce. Inhibitory interneurons are predominantly mixed selective for angular head velocity and translation speed. Finally, we found theta phase resetting of local field potential oscillations triggered by head-gaze shifts. Our findings indicate that marmosets adapted to their daylight ecological niche by modifying exploration/navigation strategies and their corresponding hippocampal specializations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego B Piza
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Benjamin W Corrigan
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Sonia Do Carmo
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - A Claudio Cuello
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Lyle Muller
- Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Julio Martinez-Trujillo
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
- Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
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24
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Sutton N, Gutiérrez-Guzmán B, Dannenberg H, Ascoli GA. A Continuous Attractor Model with Realistic Neural and Synaptic Properties Quantitatively Reproduces Grid Cell Physiology. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.29.591748. [PMID: 38746202 PMCID: PMC11092518 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.29.591748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Computational simulations with data-driven physiological detail can foster a deeper understanding of the neural mechanisms involved in cognition. Here, we utilize the wealth of cellular properties from Hippocampome.org to study neural mechanisms of spatial coding with a spiking continuous attractor network model of medial entorhinal cortex circuit activity. The primary goal was to investigate if adding such realistic constraints could produce firing patterns similar to those measured in real neurons. Biological characteristics included in the work are excitability, connectivity, and synaptic signaling of neuron types defined primarily by their axonal and dendritic morphologies. We investigate the spiking dynamics in specific neuron types and the synaptic activities between groups of neurons. Modeling the rodent hippocampal formation keeps the simulations to a computationally reasonable scale while also anchoring the parameters and results to experimental measurements. Our model generates grid cell activity that well matches the spacing, size, and firing rates of grid fields recorded in live behaving animals from both published datasets and new experiments performed for this study. Our simulations also recreate different scales of those properties, e.g., small and large, as found along the dorsoventral axis of the medial entorhinal cortex. Computational exploration of neuronal and synaptic model parameters reveals that a broad range of neural properties produce grid fields in the simulation. These results demonstrate that the continuous attractor network model of grid cells is compatible with a spiking neural network implementation sourcing data-driven biophysical and anatomical parameters from Hippocampome.org. The software is released as open source to enable broad community reuse and encourage novel applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nate Sutton
- Bioengineering Department, at George Mason University
| | | | - Holger Dannenberg
- Bioengineering Department, at George Mason University
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience at George Mason University
| | - Giorgio A. Ascoli
- Bioengineering Department, at George Mason University
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience at George Mason University
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25
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Herber CS, Pratt KJ, Shea JM, Villeda SA, Giocomo LM. Spatial Coding Dysfunction and Network Instability in the Aging Medial Entorhinal Cortex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.12.588890. [PMID: 38659809 PMCID: PMC11042240 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.12.588890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Across species, spatial memory declines with age, possibly reflecting altered hippocampal and medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) function. However, the integrity of cellular and network-level spatial coding in aged MEC is unknown. Here, we leveraged in vivo electrophysiology to assess MEC function in young, middle-aged, and aged mice navigating virtual environments. In aged grid cells, we observed impaired stabilization of context-specific spatial firing, correlated with spatial memory deficits. Additionally, aged grid networks shifted firing patterns often but with poor alignment to context changes. Aged spatial firing was also unstable in an unchanging environment. In these same mice, we identified 458 genes differentially expressed with age in MEC, 61 of which had expression correlated with spatial firing stability. These genes were enriched among interneurons and related to synaptic transmission. Together, these findings identify coordinated transcriptomic, cellular, and network changes in MEC implicated in impaired spatial memory in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte S. Herber
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Karishma J.B. Pratt
- Department of Anatomy, University of California San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Avenue, Box 0452, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Jeremy M. Shea
- Department of Anatomy, University of California San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Avenue, Box 0452, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Saul A. Villeda
- Department of Anatomy, University of California San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Avenue, Box 0452, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
- Bakar Aging Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Lisa M. Giocomo
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Lead contact
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26
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Yadav N, Toader A, Rajasethupathy P. Beyond hippocampus: Thalamic and prefrontal contributions to an evolving memory. Neuron 2024; 112:1045-1059. [PMID: 38272026 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.12.021] [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: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
The hippocampus has long been at the center of memory research, and rightfully so. However, with emerging technological capabilities, we can increasingly appreciate memory as a more dynamic and brain-wide process. In this perspective, our goal is to begin developing models to understand the gradual evolution, reorganization, and stabilization of memories across the brain after their initial formation in the hippocampus. By synthesizing studies across the rodent and human literature, we suggest that as memory representations initially form in hippocampus, parallel traces emerge in frontal cortex that cue memory recall, and as they mature, with sustained support initially from limbic then diencephalic then cortical circuits, they become progressively independent of hippocampus and dependent on a mature cortical representation. A key feature of this model is that, as time progresses, memory representations are passed on to distinct circuits with progressively longer time constants, providing the opportunity to filter, forget, update, or reorganize memories in the process of committing to long-term storage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nakul Yadav
- Laboratory of Neural Dynamics & Cognition, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Andrew Toader
- Laboratory of Neural Dynamics & Cognition, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Priya Rajasethupathy
- Laboratory of Neural Dynamics & Cognition, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
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27
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Hoang TH, Manahan-Vaughan D. Differentiated somatic gene expression is triggered in the dorsal hippocampus and the anterior retrosplenial cortex by hippocampal synaptic plasticity prompted by spatial content learning. Brain Struct Funct 2024; 229:639-655. [PMID: 37690045 PMCID: PMC10978647 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02694-z] [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: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Hippocampal afferent inputs, terminating on proximal and distal subfields of the cornus ammonis (CA), enable the functional discrimination of 'what' (item identity) and 'where' (spatial location) elements of a spatial representation. This kind of information is supported by structures such as the retrosplenial cortex (RSC). Spatial content learning promotes the expression of hippocampal synaptic plasticity, particularly long-term depression (LTD). In the CA1 region, this is specifically facilitated by the learning of item-place features of a spatial environment. Gene-tagging, by means of time-locked fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to detect nuclear expression of immediate early genes, can reveal neuronal populations that engage in experience-dependent information encoding. In the current study, using FISH, we examined if learning-facilitated LTD results in subfield-specific information encoding in the hippocampus and RSC. Rats engaged in novel exploration of small items during stimulation of Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapses. This resulted in LTD (> 24 h). FISH, to detect nuclear expression of Homer1a, revealed that the distal-CA1 and proximal-CA3 subcompartments were particularly activated by this event. By contrast, all elements of the proximodistal cornus ammonis-axis showed equal nuclear Homer1a expression following LTD induction solely by means of afferent stimulation. The RSC exhibited stronger nuclear Homer1a expression in response to learning-facilitated LTD, and to novel item-place experience, compared to LTD induced by sole afferent stimulation in CA1. These results show that both the cornus ammonis and RSC engage in differentiated information encoding of item-place learning that is salient enough, in its own right, to drive the expression of hippocampal LTD. These results also reveal a novel role of the RSC in item-place learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thu-Huong Hoang
- Medical Faculty, Department of Neurophysiology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, MA 4/150, 44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Denise Manahan-Vaughan
- Medical Faculty, Department of Neurophysiology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, MA 4/150, 44780, Bochum, Germany.
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28
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Clark BJ, LaChance PA, Winter SS, Mehlman ML, Butler W, LaCour A, Taube JS. Comparison of head direction cell firing characteristics across thalamo-parahippocampal circuitry. Hippocampus 2024; 34:168-196. [PMID: 38178693 PMCID: PMC10950528 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23596] [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: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Head direction (HD) cells, which fire persistently when an animal's head is pointed in a particular direction, are widely thought to underlie an animal's sense of spatial orientation and have been identified in several limbic brain regions. Robust HD cell firing is observed throughout the thalamo-parahippocampal system, although recent studies report that parahippocampal HD cells exhibit distinct firing properties, including conjunctive aspects with other spatial parameters, which suggest they play a specialized role in spatial processing. Few studies, however, have quantified these apparent differences. Here, we performed a comparative assessment of HD cell firing characteristics across the anterior dorsal thalamus (ADN), postsubiculum (PoS), parasubiculum (PaS), medial entorhinal (MEC), and postrhinal (POR) cortices. We report that HD cells with a high degree of directional specificity were observed in all five brain regions, but ADN HD cells display greater sharpness and stability in their preferred directions, and greater anticipation of future headings compared to parahippocampal regions. Additional analysis indicated that POR HD cells were more coarsely modulated by other spatial parameters compared to PoS, PaS, and MEC. Finally, our analyses indicated that the sharpness of HD tuning decreased as a function of laminar position and conjunctive coding within the PoS, PaS, and MEC, with cells in the superficial layers along with conjunctive firing properties showing less robust directional tuning. The results are discussed in relation to theories of functional organization of HD cell tuning in thalamo-parahippocampal circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J Clark
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Patrick A LaChance
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Shawn S Winter
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Max L Mehlman
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Will Butler
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Ariyana LaCour
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Taube
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
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29
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Clark H, Nolan MF. Task-anchored grid cell firing is selectively associated with successful path integration-dependent behaviour. eLife 2024; 12:RP89356. [PMID: 38546203 PMCID: PMC10977970 DOI: 10.7554/elife.89356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Grid firing fields have been proposed as a neural substrate for spatial localisation in general or for path integration in particular. To distinguish these possibilities, we investigate firing of grid and non-grid cells in the mouse medial entorhinal cortex during a location memory task. We find that grid firing can either be anchored to the task environment, or can encode distance travelled independently of the task reference frame. Anchoring varied between and within sessions, while spatial firing of non-grid cells was either coherent with the grid population, or was stably anchored to the task environment. We took advantage of the variability in task-anchoring to evaluate whether and when encoding of location by grid cells might contribute to behaviour. We find that when reward location is indicated by a visual cue, performance is similar regardless of whether grid cells are task-anchored or not, arguing against a role for grid representations when location cues are available. By contrast, in the absence of the visual cue, performance was enhanced when grid cells were anchored to the task environment. Our results suggest that anchoring of grid cells to task reference frames selectively enhances performance when path integration is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Clark
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Hugh Robson Building, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Matthew F Nolan
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Hugh Robson Building, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
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30
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Hardcastle VG. Entangled brains and the experience of pains. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1359687. [PMID: 38558784 PMCID: PMC10978612 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1359687] [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: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) revised its definition of pain to "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience." Three recent recommendations for understanding pain if there are no clear brain correlates include eliminativism, multiple realizability, and affordance-based approaches. I adumbrate a different path forward. Underlying each of the proposed approaches and the new IASP definition is the suspicion that there are no specific correlates for pain. I suggest that this basic assumption is misguided. As we learn more about brain function, it is becoming clear that many areas process many different types of information at the same time. In this study, I analogize how animal brains navigate in three-dimensional space with how the brain creates pain. Underlying both cases is a large-scale combinatorial system that feeds back on itself through a diversity of convergent and divergent bi-directional connections. Brains are not like combustion engines, with energy driving outputs via the structure of the machine, but are instead more like whirlpools, which are essentially dynamic patterns in some substrates. We should understand pain experiences as context-dependent, spatiotemporal trajectories that reflect heterogeneous, multiplex, and dynamically adaptive brain cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie Gray Hardcastle
- Institute of Health Innovation, Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, KY, United States
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31
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Feng Y, Diego KS, Dong Z, Wick ZC, Page-Harley L, Page-Harley V, Schnipper J, Lamsifer SI, Pennington ZT, Vetere LM, Philipsberg PA, Soler I, Jurkowski A, Rosado CJ, Khan NN, Cai DJ, Shuman T. Distinct changes to hippocampal and medial entorhinal circuits emerge across the progression of cognitive deficits in epilepsy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.12.584697. [PMID: 38559224 PMCID: PMC10979962 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.12.584697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) causes pervasive and progressive memory impairments, yet the specific circuit changes that drive these deficits remain unclear. To investigate how hippocampal-entorhinal dysfunction contributes to progressive memory deficits in epilepsy, we performed simultaneous in vivo electrophysiology in hippocampus (HPC) and medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) of control and epileptic mice 3 or 8 weeks after pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (Pilo-SE). We found that HPC synchronization deficits (including reduced theta power, coherence, and altered interneuron spike timing) emerged within 3 weeks of Pilo-SE, aligning with early-onset, relatively subtle memory deficits. In contrast, abnormal synchronization within MEC and between HPC-MEC emerged later, by 8 weeks after Pilo-SE, when spatial memory impairment was more severe. Furthermore, a distinct subpopulation of MEC layer 3 excitatory neurons (active at theta troughs) was specifically impaired in epileptic mice. Together, these findings suggest that hippocampal-entorhinal circuit dysfunction accumulates and shifts as cognitive impairment progresses in TLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Feng
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | | | - Zhe Dong
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ivan Soler
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | | | | | - Nadia N Khan
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - Denise J Cai
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
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32
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Wheeler DW, Banduri S, Sankararaman S, Vinay S, Ascoli GA. Unsupervised classification of brain-wide axons reveals the presubiculum neuronal projection blueprint. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1555. [PMID: 38378961 PMCID: PMC10879163 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45741-x] [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: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
We present a quantitative strategy to identify all projection neuron types from a given region with statistically different patterns of anatomical targeting. We first validate the technique with mouse primary motor cortex layer 6 data, yielding two clusters consistent with cortico-thalamic and intra-telencephalic neurons. We next analyze the presubiculum, a less-explored region, identifying five classes of projecting neurons with unique patterns of divergence, convergence, and specificity. We report several findings: individual classes target multiple subregions along defined functions; all hypothalamic regions are exclusively targeted by the same class also invading midbrain and agranular retrosplenial cortex; Cornu Ammonis receives input from a single class of presubicular axons also projecting to granular retrosplenial cortex; path distances from the presubiculum to the same targets differ significantly between classes, as do the path distances to distinct targets within most classes; the identified classes have highly non-uniform abundances; and presubicular somata are topographically segregated among classes. This study thus demonstrates that statistically distinct projections shed light on the functional organization of their circuit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diek W Wheeler
- Center for Neural Informatics, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Studies and Bioengineering Department, College of Engineering & Computing, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
| | - Shaina Banduri
- Center for Neural Informatics, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Studies and Bioengineering Department, College of Engineering & Computing, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Sruthi Sankararaman
- Center for Neural Informatics, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Studies and Bioengineering Department, College of Engineering & Computing, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Samhita Vinay
- Center for Neural Informatics, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Studies and Bioengineering Department, College of Engineering & Computing, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Giorgio A Ascoli
- Center for Neural Informatics, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Studies and Bioengineering Department, College of Engineering & Computing, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
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33
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Rebecca R, Ascoli GA, Sutton NM, Dannenberg H. Spatial periodicity in grid cell firing is explained by a neural sequence code of 2-D trajectories. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.05.30.542747. [PMID: 37398455 PMCID: PMC10312530 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.30.542747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Spatial periodicity in grid cell firing has been interpreted as a neural metric for space providing animals with a coordinate system in navigating physical and mental spaces. However, the specific computational problem being solved by grid cells has remained elusive. Here, we provide mathematical proof that spatial periodicity in grid cell firing is the only possible solution to a neural sequence code of 2-D trajectories and that the hexagonal firing pattern of grid cells is the most parsimonious solution to such a sequence code. We thereby provide a teleological cause for the existence of grid cells and reveal the underlying nature of the global geometric organization in grid maps as a direct consequence of a simple local sequence code. A sequence code by grid cells provides intuitive explanations for many previously puzzling experimental observations and may transform our thinking about grid cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- R.G. Rebecca
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, George Mason University, 4400 University Dr., Fairfax, VA 22030
| | - Giorgio A. Ascoli
- Department of Bioengineering, George Mason University, 4400 University Dr., Fairfax, VA 22030
| | - Nate M. Sutton
- Department of Bioengineering, George Mason University, 4400 University Dr., Fairfax, VA 22030
| | - Holger Dannenberg
- Department of Bioengineering, George Mason University, 4400 University Dr., Fairfax, VA 22030
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34
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Gonzalez A, Giocomo LM. Parahippocampal neurons encode task-relevant information for goal-directed navigation. eLife 2024; 12:RP85646. [PMID: 38363198 PMCID: PMC10942598 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85646] [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] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
A behavioral strategy crucial to survival is directed navigation to a goal, such as a food or home location. One potential neural substrate for supporting goal-directed navigation is the parahippocampus, which contains neurons that represent an animal's position, orientation, and movement through the world, and that change their firing activity to encode behaviorally relevant variables such as reward. However, little prior work on the parahippocampus has considered how neurons encode variables during goal-directed navigation in environments that dynamically change. Here, we recorded single units from rat parahippocampal cortex while subjects performed a goal-directed task. The maze dynamically changed goal-locations via a visual cue on a trial-to-trial basis, requiring subjects to use cue-location associations to receive reward. We observed a mismatch-like signal, with elevated neural activity on incorrect trials, leading to rate-remapping. The strength of this remapping correlated with task performance. Recordings during open-field foraging allowed us to functionally define navigational coding for a subset of the neurons recorded in the maze. This approach revealed that head-direction coding units remapped more than other functional-defined units. Taken together, this work thus raises the possibility that during goal-directed navigation, parahippocampal neurons encode error information reflective of an animal's behavioral performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Gonzalez
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| | - Lisa M Giocomo
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
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35
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Wheeler DW, Kopsick JD, Sutton N, Tecuatl C, Komendantov AO, Nadella K, Ascoli GA. Hippocampome.org 2.0 is a knowledge base enabling data-driven spiking neural network simulations of rodent hippocampal circuits. eLife 2024; 12:RP90597. [PMID: 38345923 PMCID: PMC10942544 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90597] [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] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Hippocampome.org is a mature open-access knowledge base of the rodent hippocampal formation focusing on neuron types and their properties. Previously, Hippocampome.org v1.0 established a foundational classification system identifying 122 hippocampal neuron types based on their axonal and dendritic morphologies, main neurotransmitter, membrane biophysics, and molecular expression (Wheeler et al., 2015). Releases v1.1 through v1.12 furthered the aggregation of literature-mined data, including among others neuron counts, spiking patterns, synaptic physiology, in vivo firing phases, and connection probabilities. Those additional properties increased the online information content of this public resource over 100-fold, enabling numerous independent discoveries by the scientific community. Hippocampome.org v2.0, introduced here, besides incorporating over 50 new neuron types, now recenters its focus on extending the functionality to build real-scale, biologically detailed, data-driven computational simulations. In all cases, the freely downloadable model parameters are directly linked to the specific peer-reviewed empirical evidence from which they were derived. Possible research applications include quantitative, multiscale analyses of circuit connectivity and spiking neural network simulations of activity dynamics. These advances can help generate precise, experimentally testable hypotheses and shed light on the neural mechanisms underlying associative memory and spatial navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diek W Wheeler
- Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, George Mason UniversityFairfaxUnited States
- Bioengineering Department and Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity, College of Engineering and Computing, George Mason UniversityFairfaxUnited States
| | - Jeffrey D Kopsick
- Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, George Mason UniversityFairfaxUnited States
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, College of Science, George Mason UniversityFairfaxUnited States
| | - Nate Sutton
- Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, George Mason UniversityFairfaxUnited States
- Bioengineering Department and Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity, College of Engineering and Computing, George Mason UniversityFairfaxUnited States
| | - Carolina Tecuatl
- Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, George Mason UniversityFairfaxUnited States
- Bioengineering Department and Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity, College of Engineering and Computing, George Mason UniversityFairfaxUnited States
| | - Alexander O Komendantov
- Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, George Mason UniversityFairfaxUnited States
- Bioengineering Department and Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity, College of Engineering and Computing, George Mason UniversityFairfaxUnited States
| | - Kasturi Nadella
- Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, George Mason UniversityFairfaxUnited States
- Bioengineering Department and Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity, College of Engineering and Computing, George Mason UniversityFairfaxUnited States
| | - Giorgio A Ascoli
- Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, George Mason UniversityFairfaxUnited States
- Bioengineering Department and Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity, College of Engineering and Computing, George Mason UniversityFairfaxUnited States
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, College of Science, George Mason UniversityFairfaxUnited States
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36
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George TM, Rastogi M, de Cothi W, Clopath C, Stachenfeld K, Barry C. RatInABox, a toolkit for modelling locomotion and neuronal activity in continuous environments. eLife 2024; 13:e85274. [PMID: 38334473 PMCID: PMC10857787 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85274] [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: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Generating synthetic locomotory and neural data is a useful yet cumbersome step commonly required to study theoretical models of the brain's role in spatial navigation. This process can be time consuming and, without a common framework, makes it difficult to reproduce or compare studies which each generate test data in different ways. In response, we present RatInABox, an open-source Python toolkit designed to model realistic rodent locomotion and generate synthetic neural data from spatially modulated cell types. This software provides users with (i) the ability to construct one- or two-dimensional environments with configurable barriers and visual cues, (ii) a physically realistic random motion model fitted to experimental data, (iii) rapid online calculation of neural data for many of the known self-location or velocity selective cell types in the hippocampal formation (including place cells, grid cells, boundary vector cells, head direction cells) and (iv) a framework for constructing custom cell types, multi-layer network models and data- or policy-controlled motion trajectories. The motion and neural models are spatially and temporally continuous as well as topographically sensitive to boundary conditions and walls. We demonstrate that out-of-the-box parameter settings replicate many aspects of rodent foraging behaviour such as velocity statistics and the tendency of rodents to over-explore walls. Numerous tutorial scripts are provided, including examples where RatInABox is used for decoding position from neural data or to solve a navigational reinforcement learning task. We hope this tool will significantly streamline computational research into the brain's role in navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom M George
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Mehul Rastogi
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - William de Cothi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Claudia Clopath
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Caswell Barry
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
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Reinshagen A. Grid cells: the missing link in understanding Parkinson's disease? Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1276714. [PMID: 38389787 PMCID: PMC10881698 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1276714] [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: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying Parkinson's disease (PD) are complex and not fully understood, and the box-and-arrow model among other current models present significant challenges. This paper explores the potential role of the allocentric brain and especially its grid cells in several PD motor symptoms, including bradykinesia, kinesia paradoxa, freezing of gait, the bottleneck phenomenon, and their dependency on cueing. It is argued that central hubs, like the locus coeruleus and the pedunculopontine nucleus, often narrowly interpreted in the context of PD, play an equally important role in governing the allocentric brain as the basal ganglia. Consequently, the motor and secondary motor (e.g., spatially related) symptoms of PD linked with dopamine depletion may be more closely tied to erroneous computation by grid cells than to the basal ganglia alone. Because grid cells and their associated central hubs introduce both spatial and temporal information to the brain influencing velocity perception they may cause bradykinesia or hyperkinesia as well. In summary, PD motor symptoms may primarily be an allocentric disturbance resulting from virtual faulty computation by grid cells revealed by dopamine depletion in PD.
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Nakai S, Kitanishi T, Mizuseki K. Distinct manifold encoding of navigational information in the subiculum and hippocampus. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadi4471. [PMID: 38295173 PMCID: PMC10830115 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi4471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
The subiculum (SUB) plays a crucial role in spatial navigation and encodes navigational information differently from the hippocampal CA1 area. However, the representation of subicular population activity remains unknown. Here, we investigated the neuronal population activity recorded extracellularly from the CA1 and SUB of rats performing T-maze and open-field tasks. The trajectory of population activity in both areas was confined to low-dimensional neural manifolds homoeomorphic to external space. The manifolds conveyed position, speed, and future path information with higher decoding accuracy in the SUB than in the CA1. The manifolds exhibited common geometry across rats and regions for the CA1 and SUB and between tasks in the SUB. During post-task ripples in slow-wave sleep, population activity represented reward locations/events more frequently in the SUB than in CA1. Thus, the CA1 and SUB encode information distinctly into the neural manifolds that underlie navigational information processing during wakefulness and sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinya Nakai
- Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
| | - Takuma Kitanishi
- Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
- Komaba Institute for Science, The University of Tokyo, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
- PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Kenji Mizuseki
- Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
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39
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Chen Y, Branch A, Shuai C, Gallagher M, Knierim JJ. Object-place-context learning impairment correlates with spatial learning impairment in aged Long-Evans rats. Hippocampus 2024; 34:88-99. [PMID: 38073523 PMCID: PMC10843702 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23591] [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: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
The hippocampal formation is vulnerable to the process of normal aging. In humans, the extent of this age-related deterioration varies among individuals. Long-Evans rats replicate these individual differences as they age, and therefore they serve as a valuable model system to study aging in the absence of neurodegenerative diseases. In the Morris water maze, aged memory-unimpaired (AU) rats navigate to remembered goal locations as effectively as young rats and demonstrate minimal alterations in physiological markers of synaptic plasticity, whereas aged memory-impaired (AI) rats show impairments in both spatial navigation skills and cellular and molecular markers of plasticity. The present study investigates whether another cognitive domain is affected similarly to navigation in aged Long-Evans rats. We tested the ability of young, AU, and AI animals to recognize novel object-place-context (OPC) configurations and found that performance on the novel OPC recognition paradigm was significantly correlated with performance on the Morris water maze. In the first OPC test, young and AU rats, but not AI rats, successfully recognized and preferentially explored objects in novel OPC configurations. In a second test with new OPC configurations, all age groups showed similar OPC associative recognition memory. The results demonstrated similarities in the behavioral expression of associative, episodic-like memory between young and AU rats and revealed age-related, individual differences in functional decline in both navigation and episodic-like memory abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxi Chen
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Audrey Branch
- Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Cecelia Shuai
- Undergraduate Studies, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Michela Gallagher
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - James J Knierim
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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40
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Wang C, Lee H, Rao G, Knierim JJ. Multiplexing of temporal and spatial information in the lateral entorhinal cortex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.31.578307. [PMID: 38352543 PMCID: PMC10862918 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.31.578307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Episodic memory involves the processing of spatial and temporal aspects of personal experiences. The lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC) plays an essential role in subserving memory. However, the specific mechanism by which LEC integrates spatial and temporal information remains elusive. Here, we recorded LEC neurons while rats performed foraging and shuttling behaviors on one-dimensional, linear or circular tracks. Unlike open-field foraging tasks, many LEC cells displayed spatial firing fields in these tasks and demonstrated selectivity for traveling directions. Furthermore, some LEC neurons displayed changes in the firing rates of their spatial rate maps during a session, a phenomenon referred to as rate remapping. Importantly, this temporal modulation was consistent across sessions, even when the spatial environment was altered. Notably, the strength of temporal modulation was found to be greater in LEC compared to other brain regions, such as the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC), CA1, and CA3. Thus, the spatial rate mapping observed in LEC neurons may serve as a coding mechanism for temporal context, allowing for flexible multiplexing of spatial and temporal information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Depression, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
| | - Heekyung Lee
- Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
| | - Geeta Rao
- Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
| | - James J Knierim
- Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
- Lead contact
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41
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Kabrel M, Tulver K, Aru J. The journey within: mental navigation as a novel framework for understanding psychotherapeutic transformation. BMC Psychiatry 2024; 24:91. [PMID: 38302927 PMCID: PMC10835954 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-024-05522-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the demonstrated efficacy of psychotherapy, the precise mechanisms that drive therapeutic transformations have posed a challenge and still remain unresolved. Here, we suggest a potential solution to this problem by introducing a framework based on the concept of mental navigation. It refers to our ability to navigate our cognitive space of thoughts, ideas, concepts, and memories, similar to how we navigate physical space. We start by analyzing the neural, cognitive, and experiential constituents intrinsic to mental navigation. Subsequently, we posit that the metaphoric spatial language we employ to articulate introspective experiences (e.g., "unexplored territory" or "going in circles") serves as a robust marker of mental navigation. METHODS Using large text corpora, we compared the utilization of spatial language between transcripts of psychotherapy sessions (≈ 12 M. words), casual everyday conversations (≈ 12 M. words), and fictional dialogues in movies (≈ 14 M. words). We also examined 110 psychotherapy transcripts qualitatively to discern patterns and dynamics associated with mental navigation. RESULTS We found a notable increase in the utilization of spatial metaphors during psychotherapy compared to casual everyday dialogues (U = 192.0, p = .001, d = 0.549) and fictional conversations (U = 211, p < .001, d = 0.792). In turn, analyzing the usage of non-spatial metaphors, we did not find significant differences between the three datasets (H = 0.682, p = 0.710). The qualitative analysis highlighted specific examples of mental navigation at play. CONCLUSION Mental navigation might underlie the psychotherapy process and serve as a robust framework for understanding the transformative changes it brings about.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mykyta Kabrel
- Institute of Philosophy and Semiotics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
| | - Kadi Tulver
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Jaan Aru
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
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42
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Wheeler DW, Kopsick JD, Sutton N, Tecuatl C, Komendantov AO, Nadella K, Ascoli GA. Hippocampome.org v2.0: a knowledge base enabling data-driven spiking neural network simulations of rodent hippocampal circuits. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.05.12.540597. [PMID: 37425693 PMCID: PMC10327012 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.12.540597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Hippocampome.org is a mature open-access knowledge base of the rodent hippocampal formation focusing on neuron types and their properties. Hippocampome.org v1.0 established a foundational classification system identifying 122 hippocampal neuron types based on their axonal and dendritic morphologies, main neurotransmitter, membrane biophysics, and molecular expression. Releases v1.1 through v1.12 furthered the aggregation of literature-mined data, including among others neuron counts, spiking patterns, synaptic physiology, in vivo firing phases, and connection probabilities. Those additional properties increased the online information content of this public resource over 100-fold, enabling numerous independent discoveries by the scientific community. Hippocampome.org v2.0, introduced here, besides incorporating over 50 new neuron types, now recenters its focus on extending the functionality to build real-scale, biologically detailed, data-driven computational simulations. In all cases, the freely downloadable model parameters are directly linked to the specific peer-reviewed empirical evidence from which they were derived. Possible research applications include quantitative, multiscale analyses of circuit connectivity and spiking neural network simulations of activity dynamics. These advances can help generate precise, experimentally testable hypotheses and shed light on the neural mechanisms underlying associative memory and spatial navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diek W. Wheeler
- Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity; Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study; George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
- Bioengineering Department and Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity; College of Engineering and Computing; George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Jeffrey D. Kopsick
- Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity; Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study; George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience; College of Science; George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Nate Sutton
- Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity; Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study; George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
- Bioengineering Department and Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity; College of Engineering and Computing; George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Carolina Tecuatl
- Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity; Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study; George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
- Bioengineering Department and Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity; College of Engineering and Computing; George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Alexander O. Komendantov
- Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity; Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study; George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
- Bioengineering Department and Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity; College of Engineering and Computing; George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Kasturi Nadella
- Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity; Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study; George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
- Bioengineering Department and Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity; College of Engineering and Computing; George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Giorgio A. Ascoli
- Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity; Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study; George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience; College of Science; George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
- Bioengineering Department and Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity; College of Engineering and Computing; George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
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43
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Gonzalo Cogno S, Obenhaus HA, Lautrup A, Jacobsen RI, Clopath C, Andersson SO, Donato F, Moser MB, Moser EI. Minute-scale oscillatory sequences in medial entorhinal cortex. Nature 2024; 625:338-344. [PMID: 38123682 PMCID: PMC10781645 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06864-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) hosts many of the brain's circuit elements for spatial navigation and episodic memory, operations that require neural activity to be organized across long durations of experience1. Whereas location is known to be encoded by spatially tuned cell types in this brain region2,3, little is known about how the activity of entorhinal cells is tied together over time at behaviourally relevant time scales, in the second-to-minute regime. Here we show that MEC neuronal activity has the capacity to be organized into ultraslow oscillations, with periods ranging from tens of seconds to minutes. During these oscillations, the activity is further organized into periodic sequences. Oscillatory sequences manifested while mice ran at free pace on a rotating wheel in darkness, with no change in location or running direction and no scheduled rewards. The sequences involved nearly the entire cell population, and transcended epochs of immobility. Similar sequences were not observed in neighbouring parasubiculum or in visual cortex. Ultraslow oscillatory sequences in MEC may have the potential to couple neurons and circuits across extended time scales and serve as a template for new sequence formation during navigation and episodic memory formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soledad Gonzalo Cogno
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Algorithms in the Cortex, Fred Kavli Building, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Horst A Obenhaus
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Algorithms in the Cortex, Fred Kavli Building, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ane Lautrup
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Algorithms in the Cortex, Fred Kavli Building, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - R Irene Jacobsen
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Algorithms in the Cortex, Fred Kavli Building, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Claudia Clopath
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Sebastian O Andersson
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Algorithms in the Cortex, Fred Kavli Building, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Flavio Donato
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Algorithms in the Cortex, Fred Kavli Building, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Biozentrum Universität Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - May-Britt Moser
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Algorithms in the Cortex, Fred Kavli Building, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Edvard I Moser
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Algorithms in the Cortex, Fred Kavli Building, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
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44
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Bowler JC, Losonczy A. Direct cortical inputs to hippocampal area CA1 transmit complementary signals for goal-directed navigation. Neuron 2023; 111:4071-4085.e6. [PMID: 37816349 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
The subregions of the entorhinal cortex (EC) are conventionally thought to compute dichotomous representations for spatial processing, with the medial EC (MEC) providing a global spatial map and the lateral EC (LEC) encoding specific sensory details of experience. Yet, little is known about the specific types of information EC transmits downstream to the hippocampus. Here, we exploit in vivo sub-cellular imaging to record from EC axons in CA1 while mice perform navigational tasks in virtual reality (VR). We uncover distinct yet overlapping representations of task, location, and context in both MEC and LEC axons. MEC transmitted highly location- and context-specific codes; LEC inputs were biased by ongoing navigational goals. However, during tasks with reliable reward locations, the animals' position could be accurately decoded from either subregion. Our results revise the prevailing dogma about EC information processing, revealing novel ways spatial and non-spatial information is routed and combined upstream of the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C Bowler
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Doctoral Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
| | - Attila Losonczy
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
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45
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Mazzara C, Migliore M. A realistic computational model for the formation of a Place Cell. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21763. [PMID: 38066014 PMCID: PMC10709575 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48183-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Hippocampal Place Cells (PCs) are pyramidal neurons showing spatially localized firing when an animal gets into a specific area within an environment. Because of their obvious and clear relation with specific cognitive functions, Place Cells operations and modulations are intensely studied experimentally. However, although a lot of data have been gathered since their discovery, the cellular processes that interplay to turn a hippocampal pyramidal neuron into a Place Cell are still not completely understood. Here, we used a morphologically and biophysically detailed computational model of a CA1 pyramidal neuron to show how, and under which conditions, it can turn into a neuron coding for a specific cue location, through the self-organization of its synaptic inputs in response to external signals targeting different dendritic layers. Our results show that the model is consistent with experimental findings demonstrating PCs stability within the same spatial context over different trajectories, environment rotations, and place field remapping to adapt to changes in the environment. To date, this is the only biophysically and morphologically accurate cellular model of PCs formation, which can be directly used in physiologically accurate microcircuits and large-scale model networks to study cognitive functions and dysfunctions at cellular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Mazzara
- Department of Promoting Health, Maternal-Infant. Excellence and Internal and Specialized Medicine (PROMISE) G. D'Alessandro, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
- Institute of Biophysics, National Research Council, Palermo, Italy
| | - Michele Migliore
- Institute of Biophysics, National Research Council, Palermo, Italy.
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46
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Grieves RM. Estimating neuronal firing density: A quantitative analysis of firing rate map algorithms. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011763. [PMID: 38150481 PMCID: PMC10775984 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011763] [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: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The analysis of neurons that exhibit receptive fields dependent on an organism's spatial location, such as grid, place or boundary cells typically begins by mapping their activity in space using firing rate maps. However, mapping approaches are varied and depend on multiple tuning parameters that are usually chosen qualitatively by the experimenter and thus vary significantly across studies. Small changes in parameters such as these can impact results significantly, yet, to date a quantitative investigation of firing rate maps has not been attempted. Using simulated datasets, we examined how tuning parameters, recording duration and firing field size affect the accuracy of spatial maps generated using the most widely used approaches. For each approach we found a clear subset of parameters which yielded low-error firing rate maps and isolated the parameters yielding 1) the least error possible and 2) the Pareto-optimal parameter set which balanced error, computation time, place field detection accuracy and the extrapolation of missing values. Smoothed bivariate histograms and averaged shifted histograms were consistently associated with the fastest computation times while still providing accurate maps. Adaptive smoothing and binning approaches were found to compensate for low positional sampling the most effectively. Kernel smoothed density estimation also compensated for low sampling well and resulted in accurate maps, but it was also among the slowest methods tested. Overall, the bivariate histogram, coupled with spatial smoothing, is likely the most desirable method in the majority of cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roddy M. Grieves
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
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47
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Rule ME, Chaudhuri‐Vayalambrone P, Krstulovic M, Bauza M, Krupic J, O'Leary T. Variational log-Gaussian point-process methods for grid cells. Hippocampus 2023; 33:1235-1251. [PMID: 37749821 PMCID: PMC10962565 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23577] [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: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
We present practical solutions to applying Gaussian-process (GP) methods to calculate spatial statistics for grid cells in large environments. GPs are a data efficient approach to inferring neural tuning as a function of time, space, and other variables. We discuss how to design appropriate kernels for grid cells, and show that a variational Bayesian approach to log-Gaussian Poisson models can be calculated quickly. This class of models has closed-form expressions for the evidence lower-bound, and can be estimated rapidly for certain parameterizations of the posterior covariance. We provide an implementation that operates in a low-rank spatial frequency subspace for further acceleration, and demonstrate these methods on experimental data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marino Krstulovic
- Department of Physiology, Development and NeuroscienceUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Marius Bauza
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, University College LondonLondonUK
| | - Julija Krupic
- Department of Physiology, Development and NeuroscienceUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
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48
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M Aghajan Z, Kreiman G, Fried I. Minute-scale periodicity of neuronal firing in the human entorhinal cortex. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113271. [PMID: 37906591 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Grid cells in the entorhinal cortex demonstrate spatially periodic firing, thought to provide a spatial map on behaviorally relevant length scales. Whether such periodicity exists for behaviorally relevant time scales in the human brain remains unclear. We investigate neuronal firing during a temporally continuous experience by presenting 14 neurosurgical patients with a video while recording neuronal activity from multiple brain regions. We report on neurons that modulate their activity in a periodic manner across different time scales-from seconds to many minutes, most prevalently in the entorhinal cortex. These neurons remap their dominant periodicity to shorter time scales during a subsequent recognition memory task. When the video is presented at two different speeds, a significant percentage of these temporally periodic cells (TPCs) maintain their time scales, suggesting a degree of invariance. The TPCs' temporal periodicity might complement the spatial periodicity of grid cells and together provide scalable spatiotemporal metrics for human experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra M Aghajan
- Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Gabriel Kreiman
- Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Center for Brains, Minds and Machines, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Itzhak Fried
- Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel.
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49
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Gönner L, Baeuchl C, Glöckner F, Riedel P, Smolka MN, Li SC. Levodopa suppresses grid-like activity and impairs spatial learning in novel environments in healthy young adults. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:11247-11256. [PMID: 37782941 PMCID: PMC10690865 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulated evidence from animal studies suggests a role for the neuromodulator dopamine in memory processes, particularly under conditions of novelty or reward. Our understanding of how dopaminergic modulation impacts spatial representations and spatial memory in humans remains limited. Recent evidence suggests age-specific regulation effects of dopamine pharmacology on activity in the medial temporal lobe, a key region for spatial memory. To which degree this modulation affects spatially patterned medial temporal representations remains unclear. We reanalyzed recent data from a pharmacological dopamine challenge during functional brain imaging combined with a virtual object-location memory paradigm to assess the effect of Levodopa, a dopamine precursor, on grid-like activity in the entorhinal cortex. We found that Levodopa impaired grid cell-like representations in a sample of young adults (n = 55, age = 26-35 years) in a novel environment, accompanied by reduced spatial memory performance. We observed no such impairment when Levodopa was delivered to participants who had prior experience with the task. These results are consistent with a role of dopamine in modulating the encoding of novel spatial experiences. Our results suggest that dopamine signaling may play a larger role in shaping ongoing spatial representations than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenz Gönner
- Faculty of Psychology, Chair of Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Christian Baeuchl
- Faculty of Psychology, Chair of Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Franka Glöckner
- Faculty of Psychology, Chair of Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Philipp Riedel
- Department of Psychiatry, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Shu-Chen Li
- Faculty of Psychology, Chair of Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
- Centre for Tactile Internet With Human-in-the-Loop, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
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Robert V, O'Neil K, Rashid SK, Johnson CD, De La Torre RG, Zemelman BV, Clopath C, Basu J. Entorhinal cortex glutamatergic and GABAergic projections bidirectionally control discrimination and generalization of hippocampal representations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.08.566107. [PMID: 37986793 PMCID: PMC10659280 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.08.566107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Discrimination and generalization are crucial brain-wide functions for memory and object recognition that utilize pattern separation and completion computations. Circuit mechanisms supporting these operations remain enigmatic. We show lateral entorhinal cortex glutamatergic (LEC GLU ) and GABAergic (LEC GABA ) projections are essential for object recognition memory. Silencing LEC GLU during in vivo two-photon imaging increased the population of active CA3 pyramidal cells but decreased activity rates, suggesting a sparse coding function through local inhibition. Silencing LEC GLU also decreased place cell remapping between different environments validating this circuit drives pattern separation and context discrimination. Optogenetic circuit mapping confirmed that LEC GLU drives dominant feedforward inhibition to prevent CA3 somatic and dendritic spikes. However, conjunctively active LEC GABA suppresses this local inhibition to disinhibit CA3 pyramidal neuron soma and selectively boost integrative output of LEC and CA3 recurrent network. LEC GABA thus promotes pattern completion and context generalization. Indeed, without this disinhibitory input, CA3 place maps show decreased similarity between contexts. Our findings provide circuit mechanisms whereby long-range glutamatergic and GABAergic cortico-hippocampal inputs bidirectionally modulate pattern separation and completion, providing neuronal representations with a dynamic range for context discrimination and generalization.
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