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Cited by 401Memory and Neural MechanismsSpatial Cognition and NavigationNeurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms

The Boundary Vector Cell Model of Place Cell Firing and Spatial Memory

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Barry, C., Lever, C., Hayman, R., Hartley, T., Burton, S., O'Keefe, J., Jeffery, K., Burgess, Ν.·2006·Reviews in the Neurosciences
DOI 10.1515/revneuro.2006.17.1-2.71PMC PMC2677716
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Abstract

We review evidence for the boundary vector cell model of the environmental determinants of the firing of hippocampal place cells. Preliminary experimental results are presented concerning the effects of addition or removal of environmental boundaries on place cell firing and evidence that boundary vector cells may exist in the subiculum. We review and update computational simulations predicting the location of human search within a virtual environment of variable geometry, assuming that boundary vector cells provide one of the input representations of location used in mammalian spatial memory. Finally, we extend the model to include experience-dependent modification of connection strengths through a BCM-like learning rule - the size and sign of strength change is influenced by historic activity of the postsynaptic cell. Simulations are compared to experimental data on the firing of place cells under geometrical manipulations to their environment. The relationship between neurophysiological results in rats and spatial behaviour in humans is discussed.

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Crossref · 10.1515/revneuro.2006.17.1-2.71

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96 of 96 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • A purely geometric model like the boundary vector model does not offer an explanation for the direction sensitivity of place field remapping.

    “In contrast, a purely geometric model like the boundary vector model (41) does not offer an explanation for the direction sensitivity of place field remapping.”

    From Space is a latent sequence: A theory of the hippocampus (2024) · cites this paper as [41]

    The Learning section (page unavailable) says nonparametric remapping remains to be understood, and the Conclusion (page unavailable) questions whether the current feed-forward BVC model can explain rapid, coherent remapping. These passages support a limitation concerning remapping generally, but they do not address the claimed direction sensitivity of remapping. (LLM, conf=0.78)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The BVC model predicts a duplication of place fields in S2.

    “Crucially, the BVC model predicts a duplication of PFs in S2.”

    From A population code for spatial representation in the zebrafish telencephalon (2024) · cites this paper as [34]

    The “Inserting barriers” section says the BVC model predicts doubled place fields after an extended barrier is added, particularly for some fields near a wall. Our copy does not identify an S2 condition, so it supports the duplication prediction but not its specific application to S2. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • CSCGs can transfer prior knowledge to new environments and infer shortcut paths through unobserved locations by treating the learned transition graph as a schema and learning just the emission matrix.

    “CSCGs can also transfer prior knowledge to new environments and infer shortcut paths through unobserved locations by treating the learned transition graph as a schema (40–42) and learning just the emission matrix.”

    From Space is a latent sequence: A theory of the hippocampus (2024) · cites this paper as [41]

    The BVC-based models of behaviour section describes navigation using stored boundary-vector-cell activity, and the Conclusion discusses learned connections between BVCs and place cells. Neither passage addresses reusing a learned transition graph as a schema, inferring shortcuts through unobserved locations, or learning only an emission matrix. Searches for those terms and for transfer to new environments found no supporting passage; page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.75)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 7

  1. [7]Morris RGM Garrud P Rawlins JN O'Keefe J Place navigation impaired in rats with hippocampal lesions Nature 1982 297 681 683 7088155
  2. [8]O'Keefe J Nadel L The hippocampus as a cognitive map 1978 Oxford University Press Oxford 1st Ed
  3. [45]Jeffery KJ Anand RL Anderson M A role for geographical slant in orienting the neural place representation Proceedings of the Royal Institution of Navigation RIN-05 meeting 2005 In press
  4. [66]Amaral DG Witter MP Hippocampal Formation 1995 443 486 Academic Press
  5. [95]Burgess N Jackson A Hartley T O'Keefe J Predictions derived from modelling the hippocampal role in navigation Biol Cybern 2000 83 301 312 11007303
  6. [101]Burgess N Maguire EA O'Keefe J Human Hippocampus: Spatial and Episodic Memory Neuron 2002 35 625 641 12194864
  7. [103]Pearce JM Roberts AD Good M Hippocampal lesions disrupt navigation based on cognitive maps but not heading vectors Nature 1998 396 75 77 9817202

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Authors
Barry, C., Lever, C., Hayman, R., Hartley, T., Burton, S., O'Keefe, J., Jeffery, K., & Burgess, Ν.
Affiliations
University College London (GB)
ORCID
Venue
Reviews in the Neurosciences
Publisher
Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Published
2006-01
Volume
17
Issue
1-2
Pages
71-97
ISSN
  • 0334-1763 (ISSN-L)
  • 2191-0200
DOI
10.1515/revneuro.2006.17.1-2.71
PMC
PMC2677716
OpenAlex
W1968533788
Cited by
401
References
96
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 35 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 27 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 27 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 27 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 15
FWCI
5.50
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Reviews in the Neurosciences (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • ENLIGHTEN (Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling Islam) (submittedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust (071248, 76328)
  • Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBS/B/1566X)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Automotive Engineering › Spatial Cognition and Navigation
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
Keywords
place cells, hippocampus, spatial memory, environmental boundaries, subiculum, virtual navigation, Hebbian learning, spatial representation, rats
MeSH terms
Action Potentials, Animals, Hippocampus, Humans, Learning, Memory, Models, Neurological, Neural Pathways, Neuronal Plasticity, Neurons, Orientation, Space Perception, Rats

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