Error minimization for path integration through place-grid cells dynamic coupling

FERNANDEZ LEON, J.A.; UYSAL, AHMET KERIM; JI, DAOYUN

San Luis

Conferencia; XXXVIII Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Neurociencia; 2023

Grid cells (GCs) in the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) use speed and direction to map the environment during spatial navigation. Hippocampal place cells (PCs) encode place and seem to minimize the accumulated error of GCs for path integration. However, the dynamic relationship between both cell types and the involved mechanism for error minimization is yet to be understood. Recent theoretical studies have also suggested the possibility of a network of loops between the Hippocampus and MEC. The dynamical coupling between these cell types could coordinate the integration of velocity input to the GCs network and update the network’s estimated position using PC network signals. A realistic toroidal topology model of GCs was implemented based on path integration to address this issue. Place cell-like neurons were modeled by defining their PFs through visual flow detection and proximity information during the animal’s exploration of a squared arena. PFs appeared mostly during early exploration, helping to decrease the path integration error of GCs. Relatively slow-emergent PCs enabled anchoring signals for a precise GCs path integration. Consistent with experimental observations that place cells can retrieve spatial information from grid-like cells to create a more accurate spatial representation, the dynamic coupling between PCs and GCs may be one of the key components of the brain’s navigational system.Reference: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-25863-2