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Commonalities and specificities between environmental navigation and autobiographical memory: A synthesis and a
Alice Teghil1, Alessia Bonavita2, Cecilia Guariglia1
1Department of Psychology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging Unit, IRCCS Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
|June 8, 2021
Summary
Spatial navigation and autobiographical memory share overlapping brain networks, particularly in the hippocampus and cingulate cortex. However, distinct regions are involved in episodic memory and egocentric navigation, with no overlap found for semantic memory and allocentric navigation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Declarative memory is theorized to have evolved from spatial navigation mechanisms.
- Episodic memory may stem from egocentric navigation, while semantic memory may originate from allocentric navigation.
- The precise overlap between neural networks for spatial navigation and autobiographical memory remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the overlap between brain correlates of spatial navigation (SN) and autobiographical memory (AM).
- To determine if neural substrates of episodic memory (EAM) and egocentric navigation coincide.
- To examine if neural substrates of semantic memory (SAM) and allocentric navigation coincide.
Main Methods:
- Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) meta-analysis was employed.
- Examined the correspondence between brain activity patterns for SN and AM.
- Tested for overlapping neural substrates between EAM/egocentric navigation and SAM/allocentric navigation.
Main Results:
- Spatial navigation and autobiographical memory commonly activated the parahippocampal gyrus, middle hippocampus, posterior cingulate cortex, and right angular gyrus.
- Episodic memory and egocentric navigation shared a network including the right angular gyrus, posterior cingulate, and parahippocampal gyrus.
- No common brain regions were identified for semantic memory and allocentric navigation.
Conclusions:
- Spatial navigation and autobiographical memory share significant but not identical neural substrates.
- Episodic memory and egocentric navigation show partial neural overlap.
- Semantic memory and allocentric navigation do not appear to share common neural substrates based on current data.
- Findings suggest a dynamic interplay between navigation and memory systems, warranting further theoretical exploration.
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