Path integration: how the head direction signal maintains and corrects spatial orientation
Open accessAbstract
Head-direction cells have frequently been regarded as an internal 'compass' that can be used for navigation, although there is little evidence showing a link between their activity and spatial behavior. In a navigational task requiring the use of internal cues to return to a home location without vision (path integration), we found a robust correlation between head-direction cell activity and the rat's heading error in the rat's homing behavior. We observed two different correction processes that rats used to improve performance after an error. The more frequent one consists of 'resetting' the cell whenever the rat returns to the home location. However, we found that when large errors occur, the head-direction system has the ability to 'remap' and set a new reference frame, which is then used in subsequent trials. We also offer some insight into how these two correction processes operate when rats make an error.
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A possible solution is to use one's perceived orientation relative to local landmarks to anchor one's sense of direction, which can then be maintained during navigation through idiothetic cues.
“A possible solution is to use one’s perceived orientation relative to local (currently-visible) landmarks to anchor one’s sense of direction, which can then be maintained during navigation through idiothetic cues10–12.”
From Anchoring the neural compass: coding of local spatial reference frames in human medial parietal lobe (2014) · cites this paper as [10]
HD cells maintain a consistent sense of direction through path integration, referring back to the environment periodically to recalibrate when error has accumulated.
“Rather, they maintain a consistent sense of direction through path integration37, only referring back to the environment periodically to recalibrate when error has accumulated10.”
From Anchoring the neural compass: coding of local spatial reference frames in human medial parietal lobe (2014) · cites this paper as [10]
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References 52 · Cited by 136
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- [2]Mittelstaedt H Mittelstaedt M-L Papi/Wallraff Avian Navigation 1982 Springer-Verlag Berlin
- Authors
- Valerio, S., & Taube, J. S.
- Affiliations
- Dartmouth College (US)
- Corresponding author
- Taube, Jeffrey S
- ORCID
- Taube, Jeffrey S
- Venue
- Nature Neuroscience
- Published
- 2012-09-16
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 1445-1453
- ISSN
- 1097-6256 (ISSN-L)
- 1546-1726
- PMC
- PMC3458173
- OpenAlex
- W1991634433
- Cited by
- 136
- References
- 52
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 5
- FWCI
- 4.91
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- europepmc.org
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Nature Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (DC009318, R01DC009318)
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NS 053907, R01NS053907, R56NS053907)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Automotive Engineering › Spatial Cognition and Navigation
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Vestibular and auditory disorders
- Keywords
- path integration, head direction cells, anterodorsal thalamic nucleus, spatial orientation, heading error, homing behavior, error correction, animal navigation, rats
- MeSH terms
- Action Potentials, Animals, Homing Behavior, Neurons, Orientation, Space Perception, Spatial Behavior, Thalamus, Rats, Long-Evans, Rats
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