“dead reckoning,” landmark learning, and the sense of direction: A neurophysiological and computational hypothesis

摘要: Behavioral and neurophysiological evidence strongly suggests that, within certain limits, rodents humans can keep track of their directional heading relative to an inertial, hence allocentric coordinate system. This “sense direction” appears involve the integration angular velocity signals that arise primarily in vestibular A hypothesis is proposed which process, operation may be difficult for neurons implement, replaced by a linear associative mapping, at least theoretically easy implement with neurons. The system makes use set linearly independent vectors representing combination current head direction, representations “recall” resulting direction. It then visual landmarks become incorporated into system, enabling both correction cumulative error and, ultimately, computation novel, optimal trajectories between locations. According hypothesis, this occurs through association hippo-campal “local-view” cells (i.e., direction selective “place cells”) “head-direction” located downstream dorsal presubiculum. possible neuroan-atomical bases are discussed.