A gravity-based three-dimensional compass in the mouse brain

Gravity sensing provides a robust verticality signal for three-dimensional navigation. Head direction cells in the mammalian limbic system implement an allocentric neuronal compass. Here we show that head-direction cells in the rodent thalamus, retrosplenial cortex and cingulum fiber bundle are tune...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature communications 2020-04, Vol.11 (1), p.1855-1855, Article 1855
Main Authors: Angelaki, Dora E., Ng, Julia, Abrego, Amada M., Cham, Henry X., Asprodini, Eftihia K., Dickman, J. David, Laurens, Jean
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
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Animals
Attitude (inclination)
Azimuth
Brain
Brain - metabolism
Brain - physiology
Cingulum
Compasses
Frequency
Gravitation
Head direction cells
Horizontal orientation
Humanities and Social Sciences
Information processing
Limbic system
Male
Mammals
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
multidisciplinary
Neurons
Orientation behavior
Pitch (inclination)
Rolling motion
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Space Perception - physiology
Spatial Memory - physiology
Thalamus
Thalamus - metabolism
Thalamus - physiology
Tuning
Verticality
Visual cortex
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Summary:Gravity sensing provides a robust verticality signal for three-dimensional navigation. Head direction cells in the mammalian limbic system implement an allocentric neuronal compass. Here we show that head-direction cells in the rodent thalamus, retrosplenial cortex and cingulum fiber bundle are tuned to conjunctive combinations of azimuth and tilt, i.e. pitch or roll. Pitch and roll orientation tuning is anchored to gravity and independent of visual landmarks. When the head tilts, azimuth tuning is affixed to the head-horizontal plane, but also uses gravity to remain anchored to the allocentric bearings in the earth-horizontal plane. Collectively, these results demonstrate that a three-dimensional, gravity-based, neural compass is likely a ubiquitous property of mammalian species, including ground-dwelling animals. Head direction neurons constitute the brain’s compass, and are classically known to indicate head orientation in the horizontal plane. Here, the authors show that head direction neurons form a three-dimensional compass that can also indicate head tilt, and anchors to gravity.
ISSN:2041-1723
2041-1723
DOI:10.1038/s41467-020-15566-5