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Updated: May 10, 2026
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Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain
Published on: October 13, 2023
Multifaceted roles for low-frequency oscillations in bottom-up and top-down processing during navigation and memory.
Arne D Ekstrom1, Andrew J Watrous
1Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, 1544 Newton Court, Davis, CA, USA; Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, USA.
Neuroimage
|June 25, 2013
Summary
Movement and memory involve brain oscillations. This review links low-frequency brain waves in rodents and humans, suggesting they share functional foundations and represent "spectral fingerprints" in neural networks.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Computational Neuroscience
Background:
- Running speed correlates with hippocampal low-frequency oscillations.
- Memory behaviors show increased coherence between hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.
- Movement-related and memory-related oscillations are observed in both rodents and humans.
Purpose of the Study:
- To integrate findings on movement-related and memory-related low-frequency oscillations.
- To compare rodent and human findings on brain oscillations.
- To propose a unified theoretical framework for these oscillatory phenomena.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on rodent and human brain oscillations.
- Analysis of theoretical models of movement-related oscillations.
- Synthesis of data linking movement and memory oscillations.
Main Results:
- Movement-related and memory-related low-frequency oscillations share functional foundations despite potential species-specific characteristics.
- Four theoretical models offer partially conflicting explanations for movement-related oscillations.
- Oscillatory coherence across brain regions is a key feature of both phenomena.
Conclusions:
- Movement-related and memory-related oscillations are proposed as "spectral fingerprints" of neural networks.
- These oscillations may reflect distinct contributions to sensorimotor and cognitive processing.
- Coupling of these oscillations may underlie different aspects of memory encoding and retrieval.
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