scholarly journals Hippocampal-Prefrontal Interactions during Spatial Decision-Making

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucas CS Tavares ◽  
Adriano BL Tort
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Local Field ◽  
Theta Rhythm ◽  
Spatial Navigation ◽  
Choice Point ◽  
Reverse Direction ◽  
Spatial Alternation ◽  
Hippocampal Theta ◽  
Alternation Task

AbstractThe hippocampus has been linked to memory encoding and spatial navigation, while the prefrontal cortex is associated with cognitive functions such as decision-making. These regions are hypothesized to communicate in tasks that demand both spatial navigation and decision-making processes. However, the electrophysiological signatures underlying this communication remain to be better elucidated. To investigate the dynamics of the hippocampal-prefrontal interactions, we have analyzed their local field potentials and spiking activity recorded from rats performing an odor-cued spatial alternation task in an 8-shaped maze. We found that the phase coherence of theta peaked around the choice point area of the maze. Moreover, Granger causality revealed a hippocampus->prefrontal cortex directionality of information flow at theta frequency, peaking at starting areas of the maze, and on the reverse direction at delta frequency, peaking near the turn onset. Additionally, the patterns of phase-amplitude cross-frequency coupling within and between the regions also showed spatial selectivity, and a new method revealed that hippocampal theta and prefrontal delta modulated not only gamma amplitude but also inter-regional gamma synchrony. Lastly, we found that the theta rhythm dynamically modulated neurons in both regions, with the highest modulation at the choice area; interestingly, prefrontal cortex neurons were more strongly modulated by the hippocampal theta rhythm than by their local field rhythm. In all, our results reveal maximum electrophysiological interactions between the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex near the decision-making period of the spatial alternation task. These results corroborate the hypothesis that a dynamic interplay between these regions takes place during spatial decisions.

Medial prefrontal cortex cells show dynamic modulation with the hippocampal theta rhythm dependent on behavior

Hippocampus ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 739-749 ◽  
Author(s):  
James M. Hyman ◽  
Eric A. Zilli ◽  
Amanda M. Paley ◽  
Michael E. Hasselmo
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Medial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Theta Rhythm ◽  
Hippocampal Theta Rhythm ◽  
Dynamic Modulation ◽  
Hippocampal Theta

scholarly journals Delta-range coupling between prefrontal cortex and hippocampus supported by respiratory rhythmic input from the olfactory bulb

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rola Mofleh ◽  
Bernat Kocsis
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Olfactory Bulb ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Phase Modulation ◽  
Theta Rhythm ◽  
Current Source ◽  
Respiratory Rhythm ◽  
Gamma Activity ◽  
The Common ◽  
Hippocampal Theta

AbstractRespiratory rhythm (RR) during sniffing is known to couple with hippocampal theta rhythm. However, outside of the short sniffing bouts, a more stable ~2Hz RR was recently shown to rhythmically modulate non-olfactory cognitive processes, as well. The underlying RR coupling with wide-spread forebrain activity was confirmed using advanced techniques, including current source density and phase modulation of local gamma activity, creating solid premise for investigating how higher networks use this mechanism in their communication. Here we show essential differences in the way prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (HC) processes the RR signal from the olfactory bulb (OB) allowing dynamic PFC-HC coupling utilizing this input. We found stable OB-PFC coherence in waking contrasting low but highly variable OB-HC coherence. PFC-HC coupling however primarily correlated with the latter, indicating that HC access to the PFC output readily segmented and shaped by RR in the delta range is dynamically regulated by the responsiveness of HC to the common rhythmic drive.

scholarly journals Disrupting the medial prefrontal cortex alters hippocampal sequences during deliberative decision making

2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (6) ◽  
pp. 1981-2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandy Schmidt ◽  
Anneke A. Duin ◽  
A. David Redish
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Medial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Designer Drugs ◽  
Trial And Error ◽  
Current Location ◽  
Future Outcomes ◽  
Error Behavior ◽  
Hippocampal Theta ◽  
Vicarious Trial And Error

Current theories of deliberative decision making suggest that deliberative decisions arise from imagined simulations that require interactions between the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. In rodent navigation experiments, hippocampal theta sequences advance from the location of the rat ahead to the subsequent goal. To examine the role of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) on the hippocampus, we disrupted the mPFC with DREADDs (designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs). Using the Restaurant Row foraging task, we found that mPFC disruption resulted in decreased vicarious trial and error behavior, reduced the number of theta sequences, and impaired theta sequences in hippocampus. mPFC disruption led to larger changes in the initiation of the hippocampal theta sequences that represent the current location of the rat rather than to the later portions that represent the future outcomes. These data suggest that the mPFC likely provides an important component to the initiation of deliberative sequences and provides support for an episodic-future thinking, working memory interpretation of deliberation. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus interact during deliberative decision making. Disruption of the mPFC impaired hippocampal processes, including the local and nonlocal representations of space along each theta cycle and the initiation of hippocampal theta sequences, while sparing place cell firing characteristics and phase precession. mPFC disruption reduced the deliberative behavioral process vicarious trial and error and improved economic behaviors on this task.

scholarly journals Delta-range coupling between prefrontal cortex and hippocampus supported by respiratory rhythmic input from the olfactory bulb in freely behaving rats

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rola Mofleh ◽  
Bernat Kocsis
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Olfactory Bulb ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Theta Rhythm ◽  
Respiratory Rhythm ◽  
Wide Spread ◽  
Nasal Breathing ◽  
Freely Behaving ◽  
Hippocampal Theta ◽  
Low Rate

AbstractRespiratory rhythm (RR) during sniffing is known to couple with hippocampal theta rhythm. However, outside of the short sniffing bouts, a more stable ~ 2 Hz RR was recently shown to rhythmically modulate non-olfactory cognitive processes, as well. The underlying RR coupling with wide-spread forebrain activity was confirmed using advanced techniques, creating solid premise for investigating how higher networks use this mechanism in their communication. Here we show essential differences in the way prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (HC) process the RR signal from the olfactory bulb (OB) that may support dynamic, flexible PFC-HC coupling utilizing this input. We used inter-regional coherences and their correlations in rats, breathing at low rate (~ 2 Hz), outside of the short sniffing bouts. We found strong and stable OB-PFC coherence in wake states, contrasting OB-HC coherence which was low but highly variable. Importantly, this variability was essential for establishing PFC-HC synchrony at RR, whereas variations of RRO in OB and PFC had no significant effect. The findings help to understand the mechanism of rhythmic modulation of non-olfactory cognitive processes by the on-going regular respiration, reported in rodents as well as humans. These mechanisms may be impaired when nasal breathing is limited or in OB-pathology, including malfunctions of the olfactory epithelium due to infections, such as in Covid-19.

scholarly journals Spatial maps in olfactory cortex during olfactory navigation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cindy Poo ◽  
Gautam Agarwal ◽  
Niccolò Bonacchi ◽  
Zachary Mainen
Keyword(s):  
Theta Rhythm ◽  
Spatial Navigation ◽  
Piriform Cortex ◽  
Spatial Location ◽  
Functional Coupling ◽  
Odor Cues ◽  
Olfactory Information ◽  
Strong Candidate ◽  
Hippocampal Theta ◽  
The Brain

AbstractAnimals rely on chemical signals to forage for food, shelter, and mates. Such behaviors call for odor cues to be linked to locations within their environment. Nonetheless, where and how this happens in the brain is not known. Here, we show that spatial and olfactory information converge in posterior piriform cortex (pPCx), an olfactory region with strong associative circuity. Ensembles of pPCx neurons recorded in rats performing an odor-cued spatial navigation task were robustly selective for both odor identity and spatial location, forming an “odor-place map”. Spatially-selective pPCx neurons displayed joint selectivity for odors, stability across behavioral contexts and functional coupling to the hippocampal theta rhythm. These results implicate the pPCx as a strong candidate region to associate spatial and olfactory information in support of navigational behavior.

scholarly journals Hippocampal theta oscillations are slower in humans than in rodents: implications for models of spatial navigation and memory

2014 ◽  
Vol 369 (1635) ◽  
pp. 20130304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Jacobs
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Activity ◽  
Large Amplitude ◽  
Theta Rhythm ◽  
Spatial Navigation ◽  
Theta Oscillations ◽  
Mammalian Brain ◽  
Neural Basis ◽  
Human Hippocampus ◽  
Neurosurgical Patients ◽  
Hippocampal Theta

The theta oscillation is a neuroscience enigma. When a rat runs through an environment, large-amplitude theta oscillations (4–10 Hz) reliably appear in the hippocampus's electrical activity. The consistency of this pattern led to theta playing a central role in theories on the neural basis of mammalian spatial navigation and memory. However, in fact, hippocampal oscillations at 4–10 Hz are rare in humans and in some other species. This presents a challenge for theories proposing theta as an essential component of the mammalian brain, including models of place and grid cells. Here, I examine this issue by reviewing recent research on human hippocampal oscillations using direct brain recordings from neurosurgical patients. This work indicates that the human hippocampus does indeed exhibit rhythms that are functionally similar to theta oscillations found in rodents, but that these signals have a slower frequency of approximately 1–4 Hz. I argue that oscillatory models of navigation and memory derived from rodent data are relevant for humans, but that they should be modified to account for the slower frequency of the human theta rhythm.

scholarly journals Hippocampal regenerative medicine: neurogenic implications for addiction and mental disorders

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee Peyton ◽  
Alfredo Oliveros ◽  
Doo-Sup Choi ◽  
Mi-Hyeon Jang
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
General Population ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Psychiatric Illness ◽  
Neural Circuitry ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Disease ◽  
Motivated Behavior

AbstractPsychiatric illness is a prevalent and highly debilitating disorder, and more than 50% of the general population in both middle- and high-income countries experience at least one psychiatric disorder at some point in their lives. As we continue to learn how pervasive psychiatric episodes are in society, we must acknowledge that psychiatric disorders are not solely relegated to a small group of predisposed individuals but rather occur in significant portions of all societal groups. Several distinct brain regions have been implicated in neuropsychiatric disease. These brain regions include corticolimbic structures, which regulate executive function and decision making (e.g., the prefrontal cortex), as well as striatal subregions known to control motivated behavior under normal and stressful conditions. Importantly, the corticolimbic neural circuitry includes the hippocampus, a critical brain structure that sends projections to both the cortex and striatum to coordinate learning, memory, and mood. In this review, we will discuss past and recent discoveries of how neurobiological processes in the hippocampus and corticolimbic structures work in concert to control executive function, memory, and mood in the context of mental disorders.

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