Irregular distribution of grid cell firing fields in rats exploring a 3D volumetric space.
Nat Neurosci
; 24(11): 1567-1573, 2021 11.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-34381241
ABSTRACT
We investigated how entorhinal grid cells encode volumetric space. On a horizontal surface, grid cells usually produce multiple, spatially focal, approximately circular firing fields that are evenly sized and spaced to form a regular, close-packed, hexagonal array. This spatial regularity has been suggested to underlie navigational computations. In three dimensions, theoretically the equivalent firing pattern would be a regular, hexagonal close packing of evenly sized spherical fields. In the present study, we report that, in rats foraging in a cubic lattice, grid cells maintained normal temporal firing characteristics and produced spatially stable firing fields. However, although most grid fields were ellipsoid, they were sparser, larger, more variably sized and irregularly arranged, even when only fields abutting the lower surface (equivalent to the floor) were considered. Thus, grid self-organization is shaped by the environment's structure and/or movement affordances, and grids may not need to be regular to support spatial computations.
Texto completo:
1
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Percepción Espacial
/
Potenciales de Acción
/
Corteza Entorrinal
/
Conducta Exploratoria
/
Células de Red
/
Modelos Neurológicos
Tipo de estudio:
Prognostic_studies
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Nat Neurosci
Asunto de la revista:
NEUROLOGIA
Año:
2021
Tipo del documento:
Article