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Partially overlapping spatial environments trigger reinstatement in hippocampus and schema representations in
Li Zheng1,2, Zhiyao Gao3, Andrew S McAvan1,2
1Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, 1503 E. University Blvd., Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.
Nature Communications
|October 29, 2021
Summary
The human brain holistically retrieves entire environments, not just specific locations. This study reveals distinct neural mechanisms in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex for processing unique and shared spatial information.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Spatial Memory
Background:
- Human memory retrieval often includes non-target information.
- Neural mechanisms for holistic environmental memory, especially for shared spaces, are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neural basis of holistic environmental retrieval.
- To understand how the brain processes unique and common elements across multiple learned environments.
Main Methods:
- High-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used.
- Human participants learned and retrieved information from three partially overlapping environments.
Main Results:
- Evidence for holistic environmental retrieval, with neural reinstatement of non-target locations.
- Pattern separation in hippocampal subfield CA2/3/DG and repulsion in CA1 for shared environmental features.
- Medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) encodes a schema representing common spatial structure across environments.
Conclusions:
- The brain engages in holistic retrieval of entire environments.
- Distinct hippocampal subfields and the mPFC play crucial roles in differentiating and integrating spatial information from multiple environments.
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