Medial entorhinal cortex and medial septum contribute to self-motion-based linear distance estimation

AbstractNeural circuits generate representations of the external world from multiple information streams. The navigation system provides an exceptional lens through which we may gain insights about how such computations are implemented. Neural circuits in the medial temporal lobe construct a map-like representation of space that supports navigation. This computation integrates multiple sensory cues, and, in addition, is thought to require cues related to the individual’s movement through the environment. Here, we identify multiple self-motion signals, related to the position and velocity of the head and eyes, encoded by neurons in a key node of the navigation circuitry of mice, the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC). The representation of these signals is highly integrated with other cues in individual neurons. Such information could be used to compute the allocentric location of landmarks from visual cues and to generate internal representations of space.

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Neuronal rebound spiking, resonance frequency and theta cycle skipping may contribute to grid cell firing in medial entorhinal cortex

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2012.0523 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 369 (1635) ◽

pp. 20120523 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Michael E. Hasselmo

Keyword(s):

Resonance Frequency ◽

Entorhinal Cortex ◽

Functional Role ◽

Grid Cell ◽

Medial Septum ◽

Medial Entorhinal Cortex ◽

Spatial Periodicity ◽

Cell Firing ◽

Rebound Spiking ◽

Relationship Of

Data show a relationship of cellular resonance and network oscillations in the entorhinal cortex to the spatial periodicity of grid cells. This paper presents a model that simulates the resonance and rebound spiking properties of entorhinal neurons to generate spatial periodicity dependent upon phasic input from medial septum. The model shows that a difference in spatial periodicity can result from a difference in neuronal resonance frequency that replicates data from several experiments. The model also demonstrates a functional role for the phenomenon of theta cycle skipping in the medial entorhinal cortex.

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GABAergic Projections from the Medial Septum Selectively Inhibit Interneurons in the Medial Entorhinal Cortex

Journal of Neuroscience ◽

10.1523/jneurosci.1612-14.2014 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 34 (50) ◽

pp. 16739-16743 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

A. Gonzalez-Sulser ◽

D. Parthier ◽

A. Candela ◽

C. McClure ◽

H. Pastoll ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Entorhinal Cortex ◽

Medial Septum ◽

Medial Entorhinal Cortex

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Functional correlates of the lateral and medial entorhinal cortex: objects, path integration and local–global reference frames

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2013.0369 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 369 (1635) ◽

pp. 20130369 ◽

Cited By ~ 187

Author(s):

James J. Knierim ◽

Joshua P. Neunuebel ◽

Sachin S. Deshmukh

Keyword(s):

Entorhinal Cortex ◽

Path Integration ◽

Sensory Input ◽

Reference Frames ◽

External Input ◽

Frame Of Reference ◽

Medial Entorhinal Cortex ◽

Motion Cues ◽

Cortical Input ◽

Self Motion

The hippocampus receives its major cortical input from the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) and the lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC). It is commonly believed that the MEC provides spatial input to the hippocampus, whereas the LEC provides non-spatial input. We review new data which suggest that this simple dichotomy between ‘where’ versus ‘what’ needs revision. We propose a refinement of this model, which is more complex than the simple spatial–non-spatial dichotomy. MEC is proposed to be involved in path integration computations based on a global frame of reference, primarily using internally generated, self-motion cues and external input about environmental boundaries and scenes; it provides the hippocampus with a coordinate system that underlies the spatial context of an experience. LEC is proposed to process information about individual items and locations based on a local frame of reference, primarily using external sensory input; it provides the hippocampus with information about the content of an experience.

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Medial entorhinal cortex lesions induce degradation of CA1 place cell firing stability when self-motion information is used

Brain and Neuroscience Advances ◽

10.1177/2398212820953004 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

pp. 239821282095300

Author(s):

Pierre-Yves Jacob ◽

Tiffany Van Cauter ◽

Bruno Poucet ◽

Francesca Sargolini ◽

Etienne Save

Keyword(s):

Entorhinal Cortex ◽

Place Cell ◽

Motion Information ◽

Baseline Session ◽

Place Field ◽

Medial Entorhinal Cortex ◽

Motion Cues ◽

Place Fields ◽

Cell Firing ◽

Self Motion

The entorhinal–hippocampus network plays a central role in navigation and episodic memory formation. To investigate these interactions, we examined the effect of medial entorhinal cortex lesions on hippocampal place cell activity. Since the medial entorhinal cortex is suggested to play a role in the processing of self-motion information, we hypothesised that such processing would be necessary for maintaining stable place fields in the absence of environmental cues. Place cells were recorded as medial entorhinal cortex–lesioned rats explored a circular arena during five 16-min sessions comprising a baseline session with all sensory inputs available followed by four sessions during which environmental (i.e. visual, olfactory, tactile) cues were progressively reduced to the point that animals could rely exclusively on self-motion cues to maintain stable place fields. We found that place field stability and a number of place cell firing properties were affected by medial entorhinal cortex lesions in the baseline session. When rats were forced to rely exclusively on self-motion cues, within-session place field stability was dramatically decreased in medial entorhinal cortex rats relative to SHAM rats. These results support a major role of the medial entorhinal cortex in processing self-motion cues, with this information being conveyed to the hippocampus to help anchor and maintain a stable spatial representation during movement.

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Visual cue-related activity of cells in the medial entorhinal cortex during navigation in virtual reality

eLife ◽

10.7554/elife.43140 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Amina A Kinkhabwala ◽

Yi Gu ◽

Dmitriy Aronov ◽

David W Tank

Keyword(s):

Entorhinal Cortex ◽

Path Integration ◽

Visual Cues ◽

Spatial Navigation ◽

Related Activity ◽

Estimation Errors ◽

Medial Entorhinal Cortex ◽

Cell Class ◽

Left And Right ◽

Self Motion

During spatial navigation, animals use self-motion to estimate positions through path integration. However, estimation errors accumulate over time and it is unclear how they are corrected. Here we report a new cell class (‘cue cell’) encoding visual cues that could be used to correct errors in path integration in mouse medial entorhinal cortex (MEC). During virtual navigation, individual cue cells exhibited firing fields only near visual cues and their population response formed sequences repeated at each cue. These cells consistently responded to cues across multiple environments. On a track with cues on left and right sides, most cue cells only responded to cues on one side. During navigation in a real arena, they showed spatially stable activity and accounted for 32% of unidentified, spatially stable MEC cells. These cue cell properties demonstrate that the MEC contains a code representing spatial landmarks, which could be important for error correction during path integration.

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Computing distance information from landmarks and self-motion cues - Differential contributions of anterior-lateral vs. posterior-medial entorhinal cortex in humans

NeuroImage ◽

10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116074 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 202 ◽

pp. 116074 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Xiaoli Chen ◽

Paula Vieweg ◽

Thomas Wolbers

Keyword(s):

Entorhinal Cortex ◽

Medial Entorhinal Cortex ◽

Distance Information ◽

Motion Cues ◽

Self Motion

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Visual cue-related activity of cells in the medial entorhinal cortex during navigation in virtual reality

10.1101/453787 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Amina A. Kinkhabwala ◽

Yi Gu ◽

Dmitriy Aronov ◽

David W. Tank

Keyword(s):

Entorhinal Cortex ◽

Path Integration ◽

Visual Cues ◽

Large Fraction ◽

Estimation Errors ◽

Medial Entorhinal Cortex ◽

Visual Cue ◽

Visual Inputs ◽

Cell Class ◽

Self Motion

AbstractDuring spatial navigation, animals use self-motion to estimate positions through path integration. However, estimation errors accumulate over time and it is unclear how they are corrected. Here we report a new cell class (“cue cell”) in mouse medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) that encoded visual cue information that could be used to correct errors in path integration. Cue cells accounted for a large fraction of unidentified MEC cells. They exhibited firing fields only near visual cues during virtual navigation and spatially stable activity during navigation in a real arena. Cue cells’ responses occurred in sequences repeated at each cue and were likely driven by visual inputs. In layers 2/3 of the MEC, cue cells formed clusters. Anatomically adjacent cue cells responded similarly to cues. These cue cell properties demonstrate that the MEC circuits contain a code representing spatial landmarks that could play a significant role in error correction during path integration.

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