Neurons including hippocampal spatial view cells, and navigation in primates including humans

Mar 24, 2021Hippocampus

Brain cells that map space and navigation in primates, including humans

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Abstract

Spatial view cells in the primate hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus guide navigation between landmarks.

Navigation occurs sequentially from one landmark to another using spatial view cells without needing a topological map.
Whole body motion cells and head direction cells can assist in navigation but are not essential for the spatial view cell mechanism.
When landmarks are obscured, spatial representations can be updated through self-motion path integration, transforming spatial coordinates.
A continuous attractor network or time cells may help encode and recall the sequence of spatial views during navigation.
Allocentric-bearing-to-a-landmark neurons can facilitate navigation when direct approaches to landmarks are not possible.

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A new theory is proposed of mechanisms of navigation in primates including humans in which spatial view cells found in the primate hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus are used to guide the individual from landmark to landmark. The navigation involves approach to each landmark in turn (taxis), using spatial view cells to identify the next landmark in the sequence, and does not require a topological map. Two other cell types found in primates, whole body motion cells, and head direction cells, can be utilized in the spatial view cell navigational mechanism, but are not essential. If the landmarks become obscured, then the spatial view representations can be updated by self-motion (idiothetic) path integration using spatial coordinate transform mechanisms in the primate dorsal visual system to transform from egocentric to allocentric spatial view coordinates. A continuous attractor network or time cells or working memory is used in this approach to navigation to encode and recall the spatial view sequences involved. I also propose how navigation can be performed using a further type of neuron found in primates, allocentric-bearing-to-a-landmark neurons, in which changes of direction are made when a landmark reaches a particular allocentric bearing. This is useful if a landmark cannot be approached. The theories are made explicit in models of navigation, which are then illustrated by computer simulations. These types of navigation are contrasted with triangulation, which requires a topological map. It is proposed that the first strategy utilizing spatial view cells is used frequently in humans, and is relatively simple because primates have spatial view neurons that respond allocentrically to locations in spatial scenes. An advantage of this approach to navigation is that hippocampal spatial view neurons are also useful for episodic memory, and for imagery.

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Abstract

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