Work

Firing rate suppression of the medial septum during spatial working memory maintenance without navigation

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The medial septum (MS) was shown to participate in working memory (WM) processes: MS lesions led to deficits in spatial WM performance, and hippocampal theta oscillations, known to depend on the MS, were linked to WM maintenance. However, what activity features of the MS may support working memory has not been explored. Therefore, we directly compared MS single neuron activity in mice performing a 2-alternative forced choice task with and without a WM component. Importantly, we minimized the locomotion component of the task to dissociate spatial navigation and WM processes. We found that the dominant response during stimulus processing and the subsequent delay period was a suppression of activity. WM engagement was characterized by stronger responsiveness of MS neurons compared to control, and especially a stronger firing rate suppression in the second half of the delay period. Moreover, we found fewer strongly theta-rhythmic neurons in the MS during WM performance, and these neurons were more suppressed during the delay period when WM was engaged. Based on these results, the MS may have an enabling rather than an active role in hippocampal WM processing.

Source: Scientific Reports

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-68172-8

Authors: Malek Aouadi, Nicola Solari, Johanna Petra Szabó, Bálint Király, Balázs Hangya

Institutions: Semmelweis University, HUN-REN Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Research Network, Medical University of Vienna

Language: English

Topic: Memory and Neural Mechanisms

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,690

Funders: European Commission, Magyar Tudományos Akadémia, Nemzeti Kutatási Fejlesztési és Innovációs Hivatal, National Research, Development and Innovation Office