Hippocampal theta sequences reflect current goals
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Hippocampal information processing is discretized by oscillations, and the ensemble activity of place cells is organized into temporal sequences bounded by theta cycles. Theta sequences represent time-compressed trajectories through space. Their forward-directed nature makes them an intuitive candidate mechanism for planning future trajectories, but their connection to goal-directed behavior remains unclear. As rats performed a value-guided decision-making task, the extent to which theta sequences projected ahead of the animal's current location varied on a moment-by-moment basis depending on the rat's goals. Look-ahead extended farther on journeys to distant goals than on journeys to more proximal goals and was predictive of the animal's destination. On arrival at goals, however, look-ahead was similar regardless of where the animal began its journey from. Together, these results provide evidence that hippocampal theta sequences contain information related to goals or intentions, pointing toward a potential spatial basis for planning.
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Experiments with rats reveal the involvement of hippocampal place cells in representing future locations during spatial navigation.
“experiments with rats revealing the involvement of hippocampal place cells in representing future locations during spatial navigation (for a recent example, see 104).”
From Episodic Future Thinking: Mechanisms and Functions (2017) · cites this paper as [104]
Hippocampal ensemble firing helps animals predict the direction needed to reach a distant goal.
“Hippocampal ensemble firing patterns also help animals correctly predict which direction they need to move in order to reach a chosen distant goal [62].”
From Plasticity of synapses and reward circuit function in the genesis and treatment of depression (2023) · cites this paper as [62]
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- Authors
- Wikenheiser, A. M., & Redish, A. D.
- Affiliations
- University of Minnesota (US)
- Corresponding author
- Redish, A David
- Venue
- Nature Neuroscience
- Published
- 2015-01-05
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 289-294
- ISSN
- 1097-6256 (ISSN-L)
- 1546-1726
- PMC
- PMC4428659
- OpenAlex
- W2162946779
- Cited by
- 367
- References
- 57
- Citations by year
- 2026: 32 · 2025: 39 · 2024: 49 · 2023: 35 · 2022: 26 · 2021: 36 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 30 · 2018: 36 · 2017: 29 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 11
- FWCI
- 19.03
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Nature Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (R56MH080318, R01MH080318)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (T32DA007234)
- National Institute of General Medical Sciences (T32GM008471)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
- Keywords
- place cells, look-ahead distance, goal-directed behavior, spatial planning, trajectory prediction, rat navigation
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Decision Making, Electrodes, Implanted, Goals, Male, Reward, Spatial Behavior, Theta Rhythm, Intention, Rats, CA1 Region, Hippocampal
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