Sensory integration of place and head-direction cells in a virtual environment (B03)

海马体是一种对记忆形成和导航很重要的大脑结构。在啮齿类动物中，它含有特定的细胞，只有当动物在特定的位置（位置细胞）或朝着特定的方向（头部方向细胞）时，这些细胞才会被激活。第三个资助期的主要研究重点将包括对位置地图寿命的审查，探索头部方向和位置细胞的相互依赖性，以及突触可塑性在位置地图准确性和稳定性中的作用。我们将对自由行为的啮齿动物进行行为实验、神经生理记录、大范围钙成像，并对人类和啮齿动物进行比较功能磁共振成像。

The hippocampal formation is a brain structure that is important for memory formation and navigation. In rodents it contains specific cells that only fire if the animal is at a particular location (place cells), or heading in a particular direction (head-direction cells). A key research focus for the third funding period will comprise scrutiny of the longevity of place maps, exploration of the interdependency of head direction and place cells, and the role of synaptic plasticity in place map accuracy and stability. We shall conduct behavioural experiments, neurophysiological recordings, wide-scale calcium imaging in freely behaving rodent, along with comparative fMRI in humans and rodents.