Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Egocentric neural representations of environmental features, such as edges and vertices, are important for constructing a geometrically detailed egocentric cognitive map for goal-directed navigation and episodic memory. While egocentric neural representations of edges like egocentric boundary/border cells exist, those that selectively represent vertices egocentrically are yet unknown. Here we report that granular retrosplenial cortex (RSC) neurons in male mice generate spatial receptive fields exclusively near the vertices of environmental geometries during free exploration, termed vertex cells. Their spatial receptive fields occurred at a specific orientation and distance relative to the heading direction of mice, indicating egocentric vector coding of vertex. Removing physical boundaries defining the environmental geometry abolished the egocentric vector coding of vertex, and goal-directed navigation strengthened the egocentric vector coding at the goal-located vertex. Our findings suggest that egocentric vector coding of vertex by granular RSC neurons helps construct an egocentric cognitive map that guides goal-directed navigation. Neural basis of egocentric cognitive maps for goal-directed navigation is not fully understood. Here the authors discovered that neurons in the retrosplenial cortex perform egocentric vector coding of geometric vertices in the complex environment, which are important in constructing egocentric cognitive maps for goal-directed navigation.
Source: Nature Communications
Authors: Kyerl Park, Yoonsoo Yeo, Kisung Shin, Jeehyun Kwag
Institutions: Seoul National University, Korea University
Language: English
Topic: Memory and Neural Mechanisms
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $6,790
OpenAlex ID: W4401759341