Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 1, 2026

A Video Demonstration of Preserved Piloting by Scent Tracking but Impaired Dead Reckoning After Fimbria-Fornix Lesions in the Rat
Published on: April 24, 2009
Role of the parietal cortex in long-term representation of spatial information in the rat
1Laboratory of Neurobiology and Cognition, UMR 6155, Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, Marseille, France. etienne.save@univ-provence.fr
Abstract:
The processing of spatial information in the brain requires a network of structures within which the hippocampus plays a prominent role by elaborating an allocentric representation of space. The parietal cortex has long been suggested to have a complementary function. An overview of lesion and unit recording data in the rat indicates that the parietal cortex is involved in different aspects of spatial information processing including allocentric and egocentric processing. More specifically, the data suggest that the parietal cortex plays a fundamental role in combining visual and motion information, a process that would be important for an egocentric-to-allocentric transformation process. Furthermore, the parietal cortex may also have a role in the long-term storage of representation although this possibility needs further evidence. The data overall show that the parietal cortex occupies a unique position in the brain at the interface of perception and representation.
Related Concept Videos
Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex
Role of Hippocampus in Memory
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
Association Areas of the Cortex
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Somatosensation
