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Organizing space through saccades and fixations between primate posterior parietal cortex and hippocampus
Marie E Vericel1, Pierre Baraduc2, Jean-René Duhamel3
1Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, UMR 5229, CNRS & Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Bron, France. marie.vericel96@gmail.com.
Nature Communications
|December 1, 2024
Summary
The posterior parietal cortex (PPC) and hippocampus (HPC) work together to create spatial maps. Both regions track self-position using visual cues and anticipate landmarks, revealing how we combine visual exploration with memory for navigation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Computational Neuroscience
Background:
- The primate posterior parietal cortex (PPC) integrates visual information for spatial exploration.
- The hippocampus (HPC) forms memory-based cognitive maps of environments.
- Understanding the interaction between visual view (PPC) and place memory (HPC) is crucial for navigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neural mechanisms underlying the interaction between the PPC and HPC during navigation.
- To compare how PPC and HPC represent spatial information and self-position in a virtual environment.
Main Methods:
- Recorded neural activity in the PPC and HPC of macaques navigating a virtual maze.
- Analyzed neuronal responses related to self-position, visual cues, saccades, and landmark fixations.
Main Results:
- A significant proportion of neurons in both PPC and HPC exhibited spatial selectivity.
- Identified saccade-modulated neurons and "path" and "landmark cells" in both regions, contributing to maze segmentation.
- Both PPC and HPC neurons showed anticipatory activity for upcoming landmarks, indicating shared spatial layout knowledge.
Conclusions:
- The PPC and HPC share neural processes for constructing a sense of "place."
- Navigation involves integrating visual exploration with memory-driven actions.
- These findings elucidate how the brain combines visual scene perception with spatial memory for effective navigation.
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