Functional role of symmetric and asymmetric STDP rules in sequence learning in the brain

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We investigated roles of symmetric and asymmetric STDP learning rules in sequence learning in the entorhinal cortex and the hippocampus. It was elucidated that the symmetric STDP learning rule was suitable for establishing a sequence of loop connections, which represented a sequence of places, amid background noise. In contrast, the asymmetric STDP learning rule was suitable for synaptic competition to select spatial information accompanied by valuable non-spatial information such as odor and to cause directional propagation of neuronal activity in the hippocampal CA3 network. These results suggest that it is important to consider what STDP learning rules are suitable for local network structures in order to unveil mechanisms of the sequence learning in the whole system consisting of the hippocampus and the entorhinal cortex.