Ring attractor

…to examine this relationship is during reorientation, wherein a conflict between internal and external sense of direction and position is resolved. Recent work has shown that reorientation of head direction representation in the anterior dorsal thalamic nucleus (ADN), which functions as a ring-attractor, occurs at a variable temporal

Deep feedforward and recurrent networks have become popular choices for models of neural computation, but they do not provide a clear link to the details of the underlying biophysical processes. Here we argue that the reason this link has been difficult to establish is because biological circuits operate in a fundamentally different way. To illustrate this, we present a new theory of neural computation in excitatory-inhibitory spiking networks, which captures the precise computational role of each neuron and every spike. By assuming low-rank recurrent connectivity, we show that spiking populat

…top-down feedback [10] (i.e., altering spiking propensity without inducing spiking directly [11]) from frontal regions to EVC

…sequences encoding a learned route during sharp-wave–ripple (SWR) events can be beneficial for consolidating path memory [1] and discovering new behavioral strategies, such as forming novel space-action representations, finding shortcuts, and integrating and associating different routes[2]. Additionally, It has been shown experimentally that hippocampal theta sequences, generated during active exploration of the environment, play a crucial role in selecting appropriate actions in goal-directed tasks[3,4]. Howeve

Vision plays a crucial role in instructing the brain’s spatial navigation systems. In the absence of vision, the remaining sensory systems attempt to fill in the previously dominated role of vision. However, how the brain’s navigational system is affected, as well as the strategies it adapts to facilitate spatial awareness following vision loss remains an open question. To explore this, we recorded from head direction (HD) cells in the anterior dorsal nucleus (ADn) of the thalamus in freely moving sighted and blind animals. First, we found that both congenitally blind and late-onset blind anim

…activity is primarily studied during the performance of a single task due to difficulty of animal training. To investigate neural network flexibility for multiple computations, we trained recurrent neural networks (RNNs) to perform a set of sensori-motor and cognitive tasks. We examined networks through the lens of dynamical systems, where the evolution of population activity is dependent on activity in the previ

…This dynamics is well described by a “ring attractor” model: the network has

The head direction (HD) system is classically modeled as a ring attractor network which ensures a stable representation of the animal’s head direction. This unidimensional description popularized the view of the HD system as the brain’s internal compass. However, unlike a globally consistent magnetic compass, the orientation of the HD system is dynamic, depends on local cues and exhibits remapping across familiar environments5. Such a system requires mechanisms to remember and align to familiar landmarks, which may not be well described within the classic 1-dimensional framework. To search for

Ants, bees and other insects have the ability to return to their nest or hive using a navigation strategy known as path integration. Similarly, fruit flies employ path integration to return to a previously visited food source. An important component of path integration is the ability of the insect to keep track of its heading relative to salient visual cues. A highly conserved brain region known as the central complex has been identified as being of key importance for the computations required for an insect to keep track of its heading. However, the similarities or differences of the underlyin