scholarly journals Are place cells just memory cells? Memory compression leads to spatial tuning and history dependence

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcus K. Benna ◽  
Stefano Fusi

The observation of place cells has suggested that the hippocampus plays a special role in encoding spatial information. However, place cell responses are modulated by several non-spatial variables, and reported to be rather unstable. Here we propose a memory model of the hippocampus that provides a novel interpretation of place cells consistent with these observations. We hypothesize that the hippocampus is a memory device that takes advantage of the correlations between sensory experiences to generate compressed representations of the episodes that are stored in memory. A simple neural network model that can efficiently compress information naturally produces place cells that are similar to those observed in experiments. It predicts that the activity of these cells is variable and that the fluctuations of the place fields encode information about the recent history of sensory experiences. Place cells may simply be a consequence of a memory compression process implemented in the hippocampus.Significance StatementNumerous studies on humans revealed the importance of the hippocampus in memory formation. The rodent literature instead focused on the spatial representations that are observed in navigation experiments. Here we propose a simple model of the hippocampus that reconciles the main findings of the human and rodent studies. The model assumes that the hippocampus is a memory system that generates compressed representations of sensory experiences using previously acquired knowledge about the statistics of the world. These experiences can then be memorized more efficiently. The sensory experiences during the exploration of an environment, when compressed by the hippocampus, lead naturally to spatial representations similar to those observed in rodent studies and to the emergence of place cells.

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (51) ◽  
pp. e2018422118
Author(s):  
Marcus K. Benna ◽  
Stefano Fusi

The observation of place cells has suggested that the hippocampus plays a special role in encoding spatial information. However, place cell responses are modulated by several nonspatial variables and reported to be rather unstable. Here, we propose a memory model of the hippocampus that provides an interpretation of place cells consistent with these observations. We hypothesize that the hippocampus is a memory device that takes advantage of the correlations between sensory experiences to generate compressed representations of the episodes that are stored in memory. A simple neural network model that can efficiently compress information naturally produces place cells that are similar to those observed in experiments. It predicts that the activity of these cells is variable and that the fluctuations of the place fields encode information about the recent history of sensory experiences. Place cells may simply be a consequence of a memory compression process implemented in the hippocampus.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soyoun Kim ◽  
Dajung Jung ◽  
Sébastien Royer

AbstractPlace cells exhibit spatially selective firing fields and collectively map the continuum of positions in environments; how such network pattern develops with experience remains unclear. Here, we recorded putative granule (GC) and mossy (MC) cells from the dentate gyrus (DG) over 27 days as mice repetitively ran through a sequence of objects fixed onto a treadmill belt. We observed a progressive transformation of GC spatial representations, from a sparse encoding of object locations and periodic spatial intervals to increasingly more single, evenly dispersed place fields, while MCs showed little transformation and preferentially encoded object locations. A competitive learning model of the DG reproduced GC transformations via the progressive integration of landmark-vector cells and grid cell inputs and required MC-mediated feedforward inhibition to evenly distribute GC representations, suggesting that GCs progressively encode conjunctions of objects and spatial information via competitive learning, while MCs help homogenize GC spatial representations.


eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah S Wirtshafter ◽  
Matthew A Wilson

The lateral septum (LS), which is innervated by the hippocampus, is known to represent spatial information. However, the details of place representation in the LS, and whether this place information is combined with reward signaling, remains unknown. We simultaneously recorded from rat CA1 and caudodorsal lateral septum in rat during a rewarded navigation task and compared spatial firing in the two areas. While LS place cells are less numerous than in hippocampus, they are similar to the hippocampus in field size and number of fields per cell, but with field shape and center distributions that are more skewed toward reward. Spike cross-correlations between the hippocampus and LS are greatest for cells that have reward-proximate place fields, suggesting a role for the LS in relaying task-relevant hippocampal spatial information to downstream areas, such as the VTA.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Soyoun Kim ◽  
Dajung Jung ◽  
Sébastien Royer

Abstract Place cells exhibit spatially selective firing fields that collectively map the continuum of positions in environments; how such activity pattern develops with experience is largely unknown. Here, we record putative granule cells (GCs) and mossy cells (MCs) from the dentate gyrus (DG) over 27 days as mice repetitively run through a sequence of objects fixed onto a treadmill belt. We observe a progressive transformation of GC spatial representations, from a sparse encoding of object locations and spatial patterns to increasingly more single, evenly dispersed place fields, while MCs show little transformation and preferentially encode object locations. A competitive learning model of the DG reproduces GC transformations via the progressive integration of landmark-vector cells and spatial inputs and requires MC-mediated feedforward inhibition to evenly distribute GC representations, suggesting that GCs slowly encode conjunctions of objects and spatial information via competitive learning, while MCs help homogenize GC spatial representations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 120-124
Author(s):  
Latofat Tajibayeva ◽  

This article discusses the importance of Furkat's work in the semantic renewal of classical literature. Furkat's work, which played a special role in the development of enlightenment literature, has a strong place in the history of culture in the second half of the XIX century and the beginning of the XX century. Critical thinking prevailed in the poet's lyrics, which glorified universal ideas. The expression of social consciousness in an objective and truthful way, the stabilization of realistic principles, begins with Furkat's poetry.


2020 ◽  
Vol 384 (2) ◽  
pp. 222-232
Author(s):  
P. V. Menshikov ◽  
G. K. Kassymova ◽  
R. R. Gasanova ◽  
Y. V. Zaichikov ◽  
V. A. Berezovskaya ◽  
...  

A special role in the development of a pianist as a musician, composer and performer, as shown by the examples of the well-known, included in the history of art, and the most ordinary pianists, their listeners and admirers, lovers of piano music and music in general, are played by moments associated with psychotherapeutic abilities and music features. The purpose of the study is to comprehend the psychotherapeutic aspects of performing activities (using pianists as an example). The research method is a theoretical analysis of the psychotherapeutic aspects of performing activities: the study of the possibilities and functions of musical psychotherapy in the life of a musician as a “(self) psychotherapist” and “patient”. For almost any person, music acts as a way of self-understanding and understanding of the world, a way of self-realization, rethinking and overcoming life's difficulties - internal and external "blockages" of development, a way of saturating life with universal meanings, including a person in the richness of his native culture and universal culture as a whole. Art and, above all, its metaphorical nature help to bring out and realize internal experiences, provide an opportunity to look at one’s own experiences, problems and injuries from another perspective, to see a different meaning in them. In essence, we are talking about art therapy, including the art of writing and performing music - musical psychotherapy. However, for a musician, music has a special meaning, special significance. Musician - produces music, and, therefore, is not only an “object”, but also the subject of musical psychotherapy. The musician’s training includes preparing him as an individual and as a professional to perform functions that can be called psychotherapeutic: in the works of the most famous performers, as well as in the work of ordinary teachers, psychotherapeutic moments sometimes become key. Piano music and performance practice sets a certain “viewing angle” of life, and, in the case of traumatic experiences, a new way of understanding a difficult, traumatic and continuing to excite a person event, changing his attitude towards him. It helps to see something that was hidden in the hustle and bustle of everyday life or in the patterns of relationships familiar to a given culture. At the same time, while playing music or learning to play music, a person teaches to see the hidden and understand the many secrets of the human soul, the relationships of people.


2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 142-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ugo FALCHI

The final goal of this paper was to fix a brief summary on the status of geographic information in Italy due to the technological steps and national regulations. The acquisition, processing and sharing of spatial data has experienced a significant acceleration thanks to the development of computer technology and the acknowledgment of the need for standardization and homogenization of information held by pub­lic authorities and individuals. The spatial data represents the essential knowledge in the management and development of a territory both in terms of planning for safety and environmental prevention. In Italy there is an enormous heritage of spatial information which is historically affected by a problem of consistency and uniformity, in order to make it often contradictory in its use by the public decision-maker and private par­ties. The recent history of geographic information is characterized by a significant effort aimed at optimiz­ing this decisive technical and cultural heritage allowing the use of it to all citizens in a logic of sharing and re-use and may finally represent a common good available to all.


2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 317-322
Author(s):  
Benjamin J. Dyson

Trial schematics are ubiquitous within psychology journals articles and have the potential to inform how we think about time in space from a non-linguistic point of view. Graphical representations of trial schematics were used to compare the spatial representations of time used by the scientific community with the dominant spatial stereotypes for temporal events reported by the scientific community. From 294 observations, approximately 81% of trial schematics contained left-to-right and / or top-to-bottom representations of first-to-last events, consistent with the dominant Western spatial expressions of time. An initially counter-intuitive left-to-right but bottom-to-top spatial stereotype used in approximately 18% of schematics is discussed with respect to its potential perceptual origins. The complications that arise from the use of multiple spatial axes in the representation of time are highlighted and given the tendency for trial schematics to be informationally poor, alternative routes for the supply of thorough experimental detail are suggested.


2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-166
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Bakuła ◽  
Zdzisław Kurczyński

Abstract The Archives of Photogrammetry, Cartography and Remote Sensing is a journal which, in the era of technological development of photogrammetry and remote sensing and changes related to cartography in the field of common digitization of sources and processing of spatial information in GIS environment, has been one of the most popular places for publishing articles in this field in Poland for years. Thirty volumes published throughout 25 years have provided nearly 1000 scientific articles and monographic studies summarizing the scientific work of several hundred authors from dozens of scientific institutions and production companies in Poland. This article is an attempt to summarize the achievements published in the journal in the field of bibliometric evaluation and statistical data of the publications from the time of the existence of this inter-association journal. The text quotes the history of the journal, indicates statistics on the number of articles, their citation with the most popular items, authors, reviewers. This evaluation was compared with other national and foreign journals.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 210-220
Author(s):  
Alf Gerlach

German psychoanalysts have played a special role in the spread of psychoanalytically oriented psychotherapy in China. This article describes the history of the training programme anchored at the Shanghai Mental Health Center, its specific design, the cooperation with Chinese colleagues, and the importance of self-experience in groups. It reflects on the sociocultural background of the involvement of German psychoanalysts and the promotion of the project by German institutions. Conscious and unconscious aspects of group dynamics on both the German and Chinese sides are presented and discussed.


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