Hippocampal cells integrate past memory and present perception for the future

The ability to use stored information in a highly flexible manner is a defining feature of the declarative memory system. However, the neuronal mechanisms underlying this flexibility are poorly understood. To address this question, we recorded single-unit activity from the hippocampus of 2 nonhuman...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PLoS biology 2020-11, Vol.18 (11), p.e3000876-e3000876
Main Authors: Yang, Cen, Naya, Yuji
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biology and Life Sciences
Brain - physiology
Cognitive models
Correlation coefficient
Correlation coefficients
Hippocampus
Hippocampus - physiology
Hypotheses
Macaca mulatta
Male
Mathematical analysis
Medicine and Health Sciences
Memory
Memory - physiology
Memory tasks
Mental task performance
Monkeys
Neurons
Neurons - physiology
Perception - physiology
Physical Sciences
Recording sessions
Research and Analysis Methods
Selectivity
Social Sciences
Spatial analysis
Spatial memory
Training
Unit activity
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Summary:The ability to use stored information in a highly flexible manner is a defining feature of the declarative memory system. However, the neuronal mechanisms underlying this flexibility are poorly understood. To address this question, we recorded single-unit activity from the hippocampus of 2 nonhuman primates performing a newly devised task requiring the monkeys to retrieve long-term item-location association memory and then use it flexibly in different circumstances. We found that hippocampal neurons signaled both mnemonic information representing the retrieved location and perceptual information representing the external circumstance. The 2 signals were combined at a single-neuron level to construct goal-directed information by 3 sequentially occurring neuronal operations (e.g., convergence, transference, and targeting) in the hippocampus. Thus, flexible use of knowledge may be supported by the hippocampal constructive process linking memory and perception, which may fit the mnemonic information into the current situation to present manageable information for a subsequent action.
ISSN:1545-7885
1544-9173
1545-7885
DOI:10.1371/journal.pbio.3000876