Cited by 937Memory and Neural MechanismsSpatial Cognition and NavigationNeural dynamics and brain function

Organizing conceptual knowledge in humans with a gridlike code

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Constantinescu, Alexandra O., O’Reilly, Jill X., Behrens, Timothy E. J.·2016·Science

Abstract

Coding abstract concepts in the brain: Grid cells are thought to provide the neuronal code that underlies spatial knowledge in the brain. Grid cells have mostly been studied in the context of path integration. However, recent theoretical studies have suggested that they may have a broader role in the organization of general knowledge. Constantinescu et al. investigated whether the neural representation of concepts follows a structure similar to the representation of space in the entorhinal cortex. Several brain regions, including the entorhinal cortex and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, showed gridlike neural representation of conceptual space. Science , this issue p. 1464

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  • The location of the DMN as equidistant from all sensory/motor systems is aligned with its broad range of functions that require integration between multiple sensory systems, including episodic and semantic memory, social cognition, goal-directed working memory, and reward-guided decision making.

    “Second, the location of the DMN as equidistant from all sensory/motor systems is aligned with its broad range of functions that require integration between multiple sensory systems, including episodic [51] and semantic memory [52-54], social cognition [55, 56], goal-directed working memory tasks [26, 32, 33, 35] and reward-guided decision making [57, 58].”

    From Situating the default-mode network along a principal gradient of macroscale cortical organization (2016) · cites this paper as [54]

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  • The general modeling framework is applicable to any circuit that supports navigation through physical space and even navigation of abstract cognitive spaces.

    “We explored these topics in a general modeling framework applicable to any circuit that supports navigation through physical space and even navigation of abstract cognitive spaces”

    From Remapping in a recurrent neural network model of navigation and context inference (2023) · cites this paper as Constantinescu et al., 2016

    The paper’s Abstract reports grid-like signals during navigation of two-dimensional conceptual knowledge and relates them to signals observed during spatial navigation. It does not present a general modeling framework or establish applicability to any navigation-supporting circuit. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • There is preliminary evidence from fMRI that abstract concepts are represented according to grid-cell-like hexagonal grid structures in humans.

    “Interestingly, there is preliminary evidence from fMRI that abstract concepts are also represented according to grid-cell-like hexagonal grid structures in humans (Constantinescu et al., 2016)”

    From Toward an integration of deep learning and neuroscience (2016) · cites this paper as Constantinescu et al., 2016

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. [4]O’Keefe J Nadel L The Hippocampus as a Cognitive Map Oxford Univ. Press 1978
  2. [23]Aronov D Nevers R Tank DW CA1 firing fields represent an abstract coordinate during non-spatial navigation Proceedings of the Meeting of Computational and Systems Neuroscience 2016 T-29 41
  3. [28]Stachenfeld KL Botvinick MM Gershman SJ Design Principles of the Hippocampal Cognitive Map NIPS Proceedings, Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems 2014 2528 2536

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Authors
Constantinescu, A. O., O’Reilly, J. X., & Behrens, T. E. J.
Affiliations
  • John Radcliffe Hospital (GB)
  • Radboud University Nijmegen (NL)
  • Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging (GB)
Corresponding author
  • Constantinescu, Alexandra O.
  • O’Reilly, Jill X.
  • Behrens, Timothy E. J.
Venue
Science
Published
2016-06-17
Volume
352
Issue
6292
Pages
1464-1468
ISSN
  • 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
  • 1095-9203
OpenAlex
W2434898965
Cited by
937
References
31
Citations by year
2026: 93 · 2025: 112 · 2024: 115 · 2023: 138 · 2022: 92 · 2021: 110 · 2020: 67 · 2019: 85 · 2018: 61 · 2017: 50 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 1
FWCI
43.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
  • Radboud Repository (Radboud University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust (099715/Z/12/Z)
  • Medical Research Council Career Development Award (MR/L019639/1)
  • Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellowship (WT104765MA)
  • James S. McDonnell Foundation (JSMF220020372)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Automotive Engineering › Spatial Cognition and Navigation
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
Keywords
grid cells, conceptual knowledge, cognitive maps, conceptual space, spatial navigation, brain regions, conceptual relations
MeSH terms
Adult, Brain, Female, Habits, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Neurons, Knowledge, Young Adult, Functional Neuroimaging, Spatial Navigation

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