Topic: Ring attractor models

Head direction (HD) cells track an animal’s head direction in darkness by integrating angular velocity signals, a phenomenon called path integration (PI). Ring attractor models for angular PI have received strong experimental support. To function as integrators, HD circuits require precisely tuned connectivity, which is costly to pass down genetically. This suggests that synaptic plasticity is crucial in setting up these circuits. We propose a network model in which a local, biologically plausible learning rule adjusts synaptic efficacies during development, guided by supervisory allothetic c