1
|
Turab A, Nescolarde-Selva JA, Ullah F, Montoyo A, Alfiniyah C, Sintunavarat W, Rizk D, Zaidi SA. Deep neural networks and stochastic methods for cognitive modeling of rat behavioral dynamics in T -mazes. Cogn Neurodyn 2025; 19:66. [PMID: 40290756 PMCID: PMC12031716 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-025-10247-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2024] [Revised: 03/23/2025] [Accepted: 03/26/2025] [Indexed: 04/30/2025] Open
Abstract
Modeling animal decision-making requires mathematical rigor and computational analysis to capture underlying cognitive mechanisms. This study presents a cognitive model for rat decision-making behavior in T -mazes by combining stochastic methods with deep neural architectures. The model adapts Wyckoff's stochastic framework, originally grounded in Bush's discrimination learning theory, to describe probabilistic transitions between directional choices under reinforcement contingencies. The existence and uniqueness of solutions are demonstrated via fixed-point theorems, ensuring the formulation is well-posed. The asymptotic properties of the system are examined under boundary conditions to understand the convergence behavior of decision probabilities across trials. Empirical validation is performed using Monte Carlo simulations to compare expected trajectories with the model's predictive output. The dataset comprises spatial trajectory recordings of rats navigating toward food rewards under controlled experimental protocols. Trajectories are preprocessed through statistical filtering, augmented to address data imbalance, and embedded using t-SNE to visualize separability across behavioral states. A hybrid convolutional-recurrent neural network (CNN-LSTM) is trained on these representations and achieves a classification accuracy of 82.24%, outperforming conventional machine learning models, including support vector machines and random forests. In addition to discrete choice prediction, the network reconstructs continuous paths, enabling full behavioral sequence modeling from partial observations. The integration of stochastic dynamics and deep learning develops a computational basis for analyzing spatial decision-making in animal behavior. The proposed approach contributes to computational models of cognition by linking observable behavior to internal processes in navigational tasks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ali Turab
- School of Software, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Beilin District, Xi’an, 710072 China
- Department of Software and Computing Systems, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Airlangga, 60115 Surabaya, Indonesia
| | | | - Farhan Ullah
- Cybersecurity Center, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, 617, Al Jawharah, Khobar, Dhahran 34754 Saudi Arabia
| | - Andrés Montoyo
- Department of Software and Computing Systems, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Cicik Alfiniyah
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Airlangga, 60115 Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Wutiphol Sintunavarat
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Thammasat University Rangsit Center, 12120 Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Doaa Rizk
- Department of Mathematics, College of Science, Qassim University, 51452 Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shujaat Ali Zaidi
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lu H, Zhu M, Lu C, Feng S, Wang X, Wang Y, Yang H. Empowering safer socially sensitive autonomous vehicles using human-plausible cognitive encoding. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2025; 122:e2401626122. [PMID: 40388625 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2401626122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2025] [Indexed: 05/21/2025] Open
Abstract
Autonomous vehicles (AVs) will soon cruise our roads as a global undertaking. Beyond completing driving tasks, AVs are expected to incorporate ethical considerations into their operation. However, a critical challenge remains. When multiple road users are involved, their impacts on AV ethical decision-making are distinct yet interrelated. Current AVs lack social sensitivity in ethical decisions, failing to enable both differentiated consideration of road users and a holistic view of their collective impact. Drawing on research in AV ethics and neuroscience, we propose a scheme based on social concern and human-plausible cognitive encoding. Specifically, we first assess the individual impact that each road user poses to the AV based on risk. Then, social concern can differentiate these impacts by weighting the risks according to road user categories. Through cognitive encoding, these independent impacts are holistically encoded into a behavioral belief, which in turn supports ethical decisions that consider the collective impact of all involved parties. A total of two thousand benchmark scenarios from CommonRoad are used for evaluation. Empirical results show that our scheme enables safer and more ethical decisions, reducing overall risk by 26.3%, with a notable 22.9% decrease for vulnerable road users. In accidents, we enhance self-protection by 8.3%, improve protection for all road users by 17.6%, and significantly boost protection for vulnerable road users by 51.7%. As a human-inspired practice, this work renders AVs socially sensitive to overcome future ethical challenges in everyday driving.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongliang Lu
- Intelligent Transportation Thrust, Systems Hub, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511453, Guangdong, China
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong, China
| | - Meixin Zhu
- School of Transportation, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Chao Lu
- Mechanical Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Shuo Feng
- Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xuesong Wang
- College of Transportation, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China
| | - Yinhai Wang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
| | - Hai Yang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Manuel S, Gagnon J, Gosselin F, Taschereau‐Dumouchel V. Towards a latent space cartography of subjective experience in mental health. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2025; 79:248-256. [PMID: 39921557 PMCID: PMC12047060 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.13798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2024] [Revised: 01/02/2025] [Accepted: 01/19/2025] [Indexed: 02/10/2025]
Abstract
AIMS The way that individuals subjectively experience the world greatly influences their own mental well-being. However, it remains a considerable challenge to precisely characterize the breadth and depth of such experiences. One persistent problem is the lack of objective tools for directly quantifying and comparing narrative reports of subjective experiences. Here, we develop a new approach to map and compare reports of experience using the latent space of artificial neural networks. METHODS Using a series of 31 prompts, including 30 images and one open-ended question, we quantified how the verbal reports provided by participants (n = 210, 50% female) deviate from one another and how these variations are linked to subjective experience and mental health. RESULTS We found that latent space embeddings of experience can accurately predict subjective judgments of valence and arousal in a series of emotional pictures. Furthermore, we show that narrative reports to ambiguous images can accurately predict transdiagnostic factors of mental health. While distortions in the latent space of artificial neural networks are notoriously difficult to interpret, we propose a new approach to synthesize visual stimuli with generative artificial intelligence that can be used to explore semantic distortions in reported experiences. CONCLUSIONS In sum, latent space cartography could offer a promising avenue for objectively quantifying distortions of subjective experience in mental health and could ultimately help identify new therapeutic targets for clinical interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shawn Manuel
- Department of Psychiatry and AddictologyUniversité de MontréalMontrealCanada
- Centre de recherche de l'institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal (CR‐IUSMM)MontrealCanada
| | - Jean Gagnon
- Department of PsychologyUniversité de MontréalMontrealQuebecCanada
| | | | - Vincent Taschereau‐Dumouchel
- Department of Psychiatry and AddictologyUniversité de MontréalMontrealCanada
- Centre de recherche de l'institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal (CR‐IUSMM)MontrealCanada
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ma Y, Vafaie N, Kragel PA. Embedding emotion concepts in cognitive maps. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2025; 172:106089. [PMID: 40057255 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2025.106089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2024] [Revised: 02/17/2025] [Accepted: 03/03/2025] [Indexed: 03/14/2025]
Abstract
Emotion knowledge is organized in a two-dimensional space known as the affective circumplex, which is thought to develop from core affective feelings and the co-occurrence of emotional events. Neural studies reveal that emotion concepts and cognitive maps of space and abstract concepts are represented in hippocampal-prefrontal systems. We propose that the circumplex is formed by learning the transitions between emotion concepts, a process mediated by a reciprocal network involving hippocampal cells that encode emotion concepts and grid cells in medial entorhinal and ventral prefrontal cortices that encode the relations between them. We anticipate that testing this hypothesis will shed light on the debate about whether emotions are biologically basic or constructed from core affective dimensions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yumeng Ma
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zong W, Zhou J, Gardner MPH, Zhang Z, Costa KM, Schoenbaum G. Hippocampal output suppresses orbitofrontal cortex schema cell formation. Nat Neurosci 2025; 28:1048-1060. [PMID: 40229506 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-025-01928-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2025] [Indexed: 04/16/2025]
Abstract
Both the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and the hippocampus (HC) are implicated in the formation of cognitive maps and their generalization into schemas. However, how these areas interact in supporting this function remains unclear, with some proposals supporting a serial model in which the OFC draws on task representations created by the HC to extract key behavioral features and others suggesting a parallel model in which both regions construct representations that highlight different types of information. In the present study, we tested between these two models by asking how schema correlates in rat OFC would be affected by inactivating the output of the HC, after learning and during transfer across problems. We found that the prevalence and content of schema correlates were unaffected by inactivating one major HC output area, the ventral subiculum, after learning, whereas inactivation during transfer accelerated their formation. These results favor the proposal that the OFC and HC operate in parallel to extract different features defining cognitive maps and schemas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Zong
- Intramural Research Program of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Jingfeng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University & Chinese Institute of Brain Research, Beijing, China
| | | | - Zhewei Zhang
- Intramural Research Program of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Geoffrey Schoenbaum
- Intramural Research Program of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Meissner-Bernard C, Jenkins B, Rupprecht P, Bouldoires EA, Zenke F, Friedrich RW, Frank T. Computational functions of precisely balanced neuronal microcircuits in an olfactory memory network. Cell Rep 2025; 44:115330. [PMID: 39985769 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2024] [Revised: 12/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2025] [Indexed: 02/24/2025] Open
Abstract
Models of balanced autoassociative memory networks predict that specific inhibition is critical to store information in connectivity. To explore these predictions, we characterized and manipulated different subtypes of fast-spiking interneurons in the posterior telencephalic area Dp (pDp) of adult zebrafish, the homolog of the piriform cortex. Modeling of recurrent networks with assemblies showed that a precise balance of excitation and inhibition is important to prevent not only excessive firing rates ("runaway activity") but also the stochastic occurrence of high pattern correlations ("runaway correlations"). Consistent with model predictions, runaway correlations emerged in pDp when synaptic balance was perturbed by optogenetic manipulations of feedback inhibition but not feedforward inhibition. Runaway correlations were driven by sparse subsets of strongly active neurons rather than by a general broadening of tuning curves. These results are consistent with balanced neuronal assemblies in pDp and reveal novel computational functions of inhibitory microcircuits in an autoassociative network.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claire Meissner-Bernard
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Fabrikstrasse 24, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Bethan Jenkins
- University of Göttingen, Faculty of Biology and Psychology, 37073 Göttingen, Germany; Olfactory Memory and Behavior Group, European Neuroscience Institute Göttingen - A Joint Initiative of the University Medical Center Göttingen and the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Grisebachstraße 5, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Cluster of Excellence "Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells" (MBExC), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks, 37073 Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Peter Rupprecht
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Fabrikstrasse 24, 4056 Basel, Switzerland; Laboratory of Neural Circuit Dynamics, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, 8006 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Estelle Arn Bouldoires
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Fabrikstrasse 24, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Friedemann Zenke
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Fabrikstrasse 24, 4056 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, 4003 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rainer W Friedrich
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Fabrikstrasse 24, 4056 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, 4003 Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Thomas Frank
- University of Göttingen, Faculty of Biology and Psychology, 37073 Göttingen, Germany; Olfactory Memory and Behavior Group, European Neuroscience Institute Göttingen - A Joint Initiative of the University Medical Center Göttingen and the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Grisebachstraße 5, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Cluster of Excellence "Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells" (MBExC), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks, 37073 Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Karagoz AB, Moran EK, Barch DM, Kool W, Reagh ZM. Evidence for shallow cognitive maps in Schizophrenia. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2025:10.3758/s13415-025-01283-3. [PMID: 40113740 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-025-01283-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2025] [Indexed: 03/22/2025]
Abstract
Individuals with schizophrenia can have marked deficits in goal-directed decision making. Prominent theories differ in whether schizophrenia (SZ) affects the ability to exert cognitive control or the motivation to exert control. An alternative explanation is that schizophrenia negatively impacts the formation of cognitive maps, the internal representations of the way the world is structured, necessary for the formation of effective action plans. That is, deficits in decision-making could arise when goal-directed control and motivation are intact but used to plan over ill-formed maps. We tested the hypothesis that individuals with SZ are impaired in constructing cognitive maps. We combine a behavioral representational similarity analysis technique with a sequential decision-making task. This enables us to examine how relationships between choice options change when individuals with SZ and healthy age-matched controls build a cognitive map of the task structure. Our results indicate that SZ affects how people represent the structure of the task, focusing more on simpler visual features and less on abstract, higher-order, planning-relevant features. At the same time, we find that individuals with SZ were able to display similar performance on this task compared with controls, emphasizing the need for a distinction between cognitive map formation and changes in goal-directed control in understanding cognitive deficits in schizophrenia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ata B Karagoz
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, 1 Brookings Dr, CB 1125, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA.
| | - Erin K Moran
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, 1 Brookings Dr, CB 1125, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Deanna M Barch
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, 1 Brookings Dr, CB 1125, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Wouter Kool
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, 1 Brookings Dr, CB 1125, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Zachariah M Reagh
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, 1 Brookings Dr, CB 1125, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Mill RD, Cole MW. Dynamically shifting from compositional to conjunctive brain representations supports cognitive task learning. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2025:2023.06.27.546751. [PMID: 37425922 PMCID: PMC10327096 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.27.546751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
During cognitive task learning, neural representations must be rapidly constructed for novel task performance, then optimized for robust practiced task performance. How the geometry of neural representations changes to enable this transition from novel to practiced performance remains unknown. We hypothesized that practice involves a shift from compositional representations (task-general activity patterns that can be flexibly reused across tasks) to conjunctive representations (task-specific activity patterns specialized for the current task). Functional MRI during learning of multiple complex tasks substantiated this dynamic shift from compositional to conjunctive representations, which was associated with reduced cross-task interference (via pattern separation) and behavioral improvement. Further, we found that conjunctions originated in subcortex (hippocampus and cerebellum) and slowly spread to cortex, extending multiple memory systems theories to encompass cognitive task learning. The strengthening of conjunctive representations hence serves as a computational signature of learning, reflecting cortical-subcortical dynamics that optimize task representations in the human brain. Highlights Learning shifts multi-task representations from compositional to conjunctive formatsCortical conjunctions uniquely associate with improved behavior and pattern separationThese conjunctions strengthen over separated learning events and index switch costsSubcortical regions are critical for cross-region binding of task rule information.
Collapse
|
9
|
Fine JM, Chericoni A, Delgado G, Franch MC, Mickiewicz EA, Chavez AG, Bartoli E, Paulo D, Provenza NR, Watrous A, Yoo SBM, Sheth SA, Hayden BY. Complementary roles for hippocampus and anterior cingulate in composing continuous choice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2025:2025.03.17.643774. [PMID: 40166150 PMCID: PMC11956977 DOI: 10.1101/2025.03.17.643774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/02/2025]
Abstract
Naturalistic, goal directed behavior often requires continuous actions directed at dynamically changing goals. In this context, the closest analogue to choice is a strategic reweighting of multiple goal-specific control policies in response to shifting environmental pressures. To understand the algorithmic and neural bases of choice in continuous contexts, we examined behavior and brain activity in humans performing a continuous prey-pursuit task. Using a newly developed control-theoretic decomposition of behavior, we find pursuit strategies are well described by a meta-controller dictating a mixture of lower-level controllers, each linked to specific pursuit goals. Examining hippocampus and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) population dynamics during goal switches revealed distinct roles for the two regions in parameterizing continuous controller mixing and meta-control. Hippocampal ensemble dynamics encoded the controller blending dynamics, suggesting it implements a mixing of goal-specific control policies. In contrast, ACC ensemble activity exhibited value-dependent ramping activity before goal switches, linking it to a meta-control process that accumulates evidence for switching goals. Our results suggest that hippocampus and ACC play complementary roles corresponding to a generalizable mixture controller and meta-controller that dictates value dependent changes in controller mixing.
Collapse
|
10
|
Lee H. Noise Resilience of Successor and Predecessor Feature Algorithms in One- and Two-Dimensional Environments. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2025; 25:979. [PMID: 39943618 PMCID: PMC11820235 DOI: 10.3390/s25030979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2025] [Revised: 01/25/2025] [Accepted: 02/04/2025] [Indexed: 02/16/2025]
Abstract
Noisy inputs pose significant challenges for reinforcement learning (RL) agents navigating real-world environments. While animals demonstrate robust spatial learning under dynamic conditions, the mechanisms underlying this resilience remain understudied in RL frameworks. This paper introduces a novel comparative analysis of predecessor feature (PF) and successor feature (SF) algorithms under controlled noise conditions, revealing several insights. Our key innovation lies in demonstrating that SF algorithms achieve superior noise resilience compared to traditional approaches, with cumulative rewards of 2216.88±3.83 (mean ± SEM), even under high noise conditions (σ=0.5) in one-dimensional environments, while Q learning achieves only 19.22±0.57. In two-dimensional environments, we discover an unprecedented nonlinear relationship between noise level and algorithm performance, with SF showing optimal performance at moderate noise levels (σ=0.25), achieving cumulative rewards of 2886.03±1.63 compared to 2798.16±3.54 for Q learning. The λ parameter in PF learning is a significant factor, with λ=0.7 consistently achieving higher λ values under most noise conditions. These findings bridge computational neuroscience and RL, offering practical insights for developing noise-resistant learning systems. Our results have direct applications in robotics, autonomous navigation, and sensor-based AI systems, particularly in environments with inherent observational uncertainty.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hyunsu Lee
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Busandaehak-ro, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea;
- Research Institute for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Tan L, Qiu Y, Qiu L, Lin S, Li J, Liao J, Zhang Y, Zou W, Huang R. The medial and lateral orbitofrontal cortex jointly represent the cognitive map of task space. Commun Biol 2025; 8:163. [PMID: 39900714 PMCID: PMC11791032 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-025-07588-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2025] [Indexed: 02/05/2025] Open
Abstract
A cognitive map is an internal model of the world's causal structure, crucial for adaptive behaviors. The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is central node to decision-making and cognitive map representation. However, it remains unclear how the medial OFC (mOFC) and lateral OFC (lOFC) contribute to the formation of cognitive maps in humans. By performing a multi-step sequential task and multivariate analyses of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data, we found that the mOFC and lOFC play complementary but dissociable roles in this process. Specifically, the mOFC represents all hidden task state components. The lOFC and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) encode abstract rules governing structure knowledge across task states. Furthermore, the two orbitofrontal subregions are functionally connected to share state-hidden information for constructing a representation of the task structure. Collectively, these findings provide an account that can increase our understanding of how the brain constructs abstract cognitive maps in a task-relevant space.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liwei Tan
- School of Psychology; Center for Studies of Psychological Application; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yidan Qiu
- School of Psychology; Center for Studies of Psychological Application; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lixin Qiu
- School of Psychology; Center for Studies of Psychological Application; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuting Lin
- School of Psychology; Center for Studies of Psychological Application; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinhui Li
- School of Psychology; Center for Studies of Psychological Application; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiajun Liao
- School of Psychology; Center for Studies of Psychological Application; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuting Zhang
- School of Psychology; Center for Studies of Psychological Application; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Zou
- Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruiwang Huang
- School of Psychology; Center for Studies of Psychological Application; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Nour MM, Liu Y, El-Gaby M, McCutcheon RA, Dolan RJ. Cognitive maps and schizophrenia. Trends Cogn Sci 2025; 29:184-200. [PMID: 39567329 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2024.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2024] [Revised: 09/24/2024] [Accepted: 09/26/2024] [Indexed: 11/22/2024]
Abstract
Structured internal representations ('cognitive maps') shape cognition, from imagining the future and counterfactual past, to transferring knowledge to new settings. Our understanding of how such representations are formed and maintained in biological and artificial neural networks has grown enormously. The cognitive mapping hypothesis of schizophrenia extends this enquiry to psychiatry, proposing that diverse symptoms - from delusions to conceptual disorganization - stem from abnormalities in how the brain forms structured representations. These abnormalities may arise from a confluence of neurophysiological perturbations (excitation-inhibition imbalance, resulting in attractor instability and impaired representational capacity) and/or environmental factors such as early life psychosocial stressors (which impinge on representation learning). This proposal thus links knowledge of neural circuit abnormalities, environmental risk factors, and symptoms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew M Nour
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK; Max Planck University College London Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London, WC1B 5EH, UK.
| | - Yunzhe Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China; Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Mohamady El-Gaby
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences. University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | | | - Raymond J Dolan
- Max Planck University College London Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London, WC1B 5EH, UK; State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China; Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, WC1N 3AR, UK
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Elston TW, Wallis JD. Context-dependent decision-making in the primate hippocampal-prefrontal circuit. Nat Neurosci 2025; 28:374-382. [PMID: 39762657 PMCID: PMC11802454 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-024-01839-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2025]
Abstract
What is good in one scenario may be bad in another. Despite the ubiquity of such contextual reasoning in everyday choice, how the brain flexibly uses different valuation schemes across contexts remains unknown. We addressed this question by monitoring neural activity from the hippocampus (HPC) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) of two monkeys performing a state-dependent choice task. We found that HPC neurons encoded state information as it became available and then, at the time of choice, relayed this information to the OFC via theta synchronization. During choice, the OFC represented value in a state-dependent manner; many OFC neurons uniquely coded for value in only one state but not the other. This suggests a functional dissociation whereby the HPC encodes contextual information that is broadcast to the OFC via theta synchronization to select a state-appropriate value subcircuit, thereby allowing for contextual reasoning in value-based choice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas W Elston
- Department of Neuroscience, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
| | - Joni D Wallis
- Department of Neuroscience, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Whittington JCR, Dorrell W, Behrens TEJ, Ganguli S, El-Gaby M. A tale of two algorithms: Structured slots explain prefrontal sequence memory and are unified with hippocampal cognitive maps. Neuron 2025; 113:321-333.e6. [PMID: 39577417 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 10/16/2024] [Indexed: 11/24/2024]
Abstract
Remembering events is crucial to intelligent behavior. Flexible memory retrieval requires a cognitive map and is supported by two key brain systems: hippocampal episodic memory (EM) and prefrontal working memory (WM). Although an understanding of EM is emerging, little is understood of WM beyond simple memory retrieval. We develop a mathematical theory relating the algorithms and representations of EM and WM by unveiling a duality between storing memories in synapses versus neural activity. This results in a formalism of prefrontal WM as structured, controllable neural subspaces (activity slots) representing dynamic cognitive maps without synaptic plasticity. Using neural networks, we elucidate differences, similarities, and trade-offs between the hippocampal and prefrontal algorithms. Lastly, we show that prefrontal representations in tasks from list learning to cue-dependent recall are unified as controllable activity slots. Our results unify frontal and temporal representations of memory and offer a new understanding for dynamic prefrontal representations of WM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James C R Whittington
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - William Dorrell
- Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Timothy E J Behrens
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, London, UK
| | - Surya Ganguli
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Mohamady El-Gaby
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Lee JQ, Keinath AT, Cianfarano E, Brandon MP. Identifying representational structure in CA1 to benchmark theoretical models of cognitive mapping. Neuron 2025; 113:307-320.e5. [PMID: 39579760 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2024] [Accepted: 10/29/2024] [Indexed: 11/25/2024]
Abstract
Decades of theoretical and empirical work have suggested the hippocampus instantiates some form of a cognitive map. Yet, tests of competing theories have been limited in scope and largely qualitative in nature. Here, we develop a novel framework to benchmark model predictions against observed neuronal population dynamics as animals navigate a series of geometrically distinct environments. In this task space, we show a representational structure in the dynamics of hippocampal remapping that generalizes across brains, discriminates between competing theoretical models, and effectively constrains biologically viable model parameters. With this approach, we find that accurate models capture the correspondence in spatial coding of a changing environment. The present dataset and framework thus serve to empirically evaluate and advance theories of cognitive mapping in the brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J Quinn Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Alexandra T Keinath
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Erica Cianfarano
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Mark P Brandon
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Wu CM, Meder B, Schulz E. Unifying Principles of Generalization: Past, Present, and Future. Annu Rev Psychol 2025; 76:275-302. [PMID: 39413252 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-psych-021524-110810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2024]
Abstract
Generalization, defined as applying limited experiences to novel situations, represents a cornerstone of human intelligence. Our review traces the evolution and continuity of psychological theories of generalization, from its origins in concept learning (categorizing stimuli) and function learning (learning continuous input-output relationships) to domains such as reinforcement learning and latent structure learning. Historically, there have been fierce debates between approaches based on rule-based mechanisms, which rely on explicit hypotheses about environmental structure, and approaches based on similarity-based mechanisms, which leverage comparisons to prior instances. Each approach has unique advantages: Rules support rapid knowledge transfer, while similarity is computationally simple and flexible. Today, these debates have culminated in the development of hybrid models grounded in Bayesian principles, effectively marrying the precision of rules with the flexibility of similarity. The ongoing success of hybrid models not only bridges past dichotomies but also underscores the importance of integrating both rules and similarity for a comprehensive understanding of human generalization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charley M Wu
- Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- Human and Machine Cognition Lab, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany;
- Department of Computational Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Biological Cybernetics, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Björn Meder
- Institute for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Department of Psychology, Health and Medical University Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Eric Schulz
- Helmholtz Institute for Human-Centered AI, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
de Tinguy D, Verbelen T, Dhoedt B. Learning dynamic cognitive map with autonomous navigation. Front Comput Neurosci 2024; 18:1498160. [PMID: 39723170 PMCID: PMC11668591 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2024.1498160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2024] [Accepted: 11/19/2024] [Indexed: 12/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Inspired by animal navigation strategies, we introduce a novel computational model to navigate and map a space rooted in biologically inspired principles. Animals exhibit extraordinary navigation prowess, harnessing memory, imagination, and strategic decision-making to traverse complex and aliased environments adeptly. Our model aims to replicate these capabilities by incorporating a dynamically expanding cognitive map over predicted poses within an active inference framework, enhancing our agent's generative model plasticity to novelty and environmental changes. Through structure learning and active inference navigation, our model demonstrates efficient exploration and exploitation, dynamically expanding its model capacity in response to anticipated novel un-visited locations and updating the map given new evidence contradicting previous beliefs. Comparative analyses in mini-grid environments with the clone-structured cognitive graph model (CSCG), which shares similar objectives, highlight our model's ability to rapidly learn environmental structures within a single episode, with minimal navigation overlap. Our model achieves this without prior knowledge of observation and world dimensions, underscoring its robustness and efficacy in navigating intricate environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daria de Tinguy
- Department of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University/IMEC, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Bart Dhoedt
- Department of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University/IMEC, Ghent, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Dickmann F, Keil J, Korte A, Edler D, O´Meara D, Bordewieck M, Axmacher N. Improved Navigation Performance Through Memory Triggering Maps: A Neurocartographic Approach. KN - JOURNAL OF CARTOGRAPHY AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION 2024; 74:251-266. [PMID: 39712551 PMCID: PMC11659358 DOI: 10.1007/s42489-024-00181-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2024] [Accepted: 11/19/2024] [Indexed: 12/24/2024]
Abstract
When using navigation devices the "cognitive map" created in the user's mind is much more fragmented, incomplete and inaccurate, compared to the mental model of space created when reading a conventional printed map. As users become more dependent on digital devices that reduce orientation skills, there is an urgent need to develop more efficient navigation systems that promote orientation skills. This paper proposes to consider brain processes for creating more efficient maps that use a network of optimally located cardinal lines and landmarks organized to support and stabilize the neurocognitive structures in the brain that promote spatial orientation. This new approach combines neurocognitive insights with classical research on the efficiency of cartographic visualizations. Recent neuroscientific findings show that spatially tuned neurons could be linked to navigation processes. In particular, the activity of grid cells, which appear to be used to process metric information about space, can be influenced by environmental stimuli such as walls or boundaries. Grid cell activity could be used to create a new framework for map-based interfaces that primarily considers the brain structures associated with the encoding and retrieval of spatial information. The new framework proposed in this paper suggests to arrange map symbols in a specific way that the map design helps to stabilize grid cell firing in the brain and by this improve spatial orientation and navigational performance. Spatially oriented cells are active in humans not only when moving in space, but also when imagining moving through an area-such as when reading a map. It seems likely that the activity of grid cells can be stabilized simply by map symbols that are perceived when reading a map.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frank Dickmann
- Geography Department, Cartography, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Julian Keil
- Geography Department, Cartography, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Annika Korte
- Geography Department, Cartography, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Dennis Edler
- Geography Department, Cartography, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Denise O´Meara
- Geography Department, Cartography, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Martin Bordewieck
- Geography Department, Cartography, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Nikolai Axmacher
- Department of Neuropsychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
El-Gaby M, Harris AL, Whittington JCR, Dorrell W, Bhomick A, Walton ME, Akam T, Behrens TEJ. A cellular basis for mapping behavioural structure. Nature 2024; 636:671-680. [PMID: 39506112 PMCID: PMC11655361 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08145-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2024] [Indexed: 11/08/2024]
Abstract
To flexibly adapt to new situations, our brains must understand the regularities in the world, as well as those in our own patterns of behaviour. A wealth of findings is beginning to reveal the algorithms that we use to map the outside world1-6. However, the biological algorithms that map the complex structured behaviours that we compose to reach our goals remain unknown. Here we reveal a neuronal implementation of an algorithm for mapping abstract behavioural structure and transferring it to new scenarios. We trained mice on many tasks that shared a common structure (organizing a sequence of goals) but differed in the specific goal locations. The mice discovered the underlying task structure, enabling zero-shot inferences on the first trial of new tasks. The activity of most neurons in the medial frontal cortex tiled progress to goal, akin to how place cells map physical space. These 'goal-progress cells' generalized, stretching and compressing their tiling to accommodate different goal distances. By contrast, progress along the overall sequence of goals was not encoded explicitly. Instead, a subset of goal-progress cells was further tuned such that individual neurons fired with a fixed task lag from a particular behavioural step. Together, these cells acted as task-structured memory buffers, implementing an algorithm that instantaneously encoded the entire sequence of future behavioural steps, and whose dynamics automatically computed the appropriate action at each step. These dynamics mirrored the abstract task structure both on-task and during offline sleep. Our findings suggest that schemata of complex behavioural structures can be generated by sculpting progress-to-goal tuning into task-structured buffers of individual behavioural steps.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohamady El-Gaby
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Adam Loyd Harris
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - James C R Whittington
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - William Dorrell
- Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Arya Bhomick
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mark E Walton
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Thomas Akam
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Timothy E J Behrens
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Shenhav A. The affective gradient hypothesis: an affect-centered account of motivated behavior. Trends Cogn Sci 2024; 28:1089-1104. [PMID: 39322489 PMCID: PMC11620945 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2024.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/27/2024]
Abstract
Everyone agrees that feelings and actions are intertwined, but cannot agree how. According to dominant models, actions are directed by estimates of value and these values shape or are shaped by affect. I propose instead that affect is the only form of value that drives actions. Our mind constantly represents potential future states and how they would make us feel. These states collectively form a gradient reflecting feelings we could experience depending on actions we take. Motivated behavior reflects the process of traversing this affective gradient, towards desirable states and away from undesirable ones. This affective gradient hypothesis solves the puzzle of where values and goals come from, and offers a parsimonious account of apparent conflicts between emotion and cognition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amitai Shenhav
- Department of Psychology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Torresan F, Baltieri M. Disentangled representations for causal cognition. Phys Life Rev 2024; 51:343-381. [PMID: 39500032 DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2024.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2024] [Accepted: 10/14/2024] [Indexed: 12/06/2024]
Abstract
Complex adaptive agents consistently achieve their goals by solving problems that seem to require an understanding of causal information, information pertaining to the causal relationships that exist among elements of combined agent-environment systems. Causal cognition studies and describes the main characteristics of causal learning and reasoning in human and non-human animals, offering a conceptual framework to discuss cognitive performances based on the level of apparent causal understanding of a task. Despite the use of formal intervention-based models of causality, including causal Bayesian networks, psychological and behavioural research on causal cognition does not yet offer a computational account that operationalises how agents acquire a causal understanding of the world seemingly from scratch, i.e. without a-priori knowledge of relevant features of the environment. Research on causality in machine and reinforcement learning, especially involving disentanglement as a candidate process to build causal representations, represents on the other hand a concrete attempt at designing artificial agents that can learn about causality, shedding light on the inner workings of natural causal cognition. In this work, we connect these two areas of research to build a unifying framework for causal cognition that will offer a computational perspective on studies of animal cognition, and provide insights in the development of new algorithms for causal reinforcement learning in AI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Torresan
- University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9RH, United Kingdom.
| | - Manuel Baltieri
- University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9RH, United Kingdom; Araya Inc., Chiyoda City, Tokyo, 101 0025, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Moneta N, Grossman S, Schuck NW. Representational spaces in orbitofrontal and ventromedial prefrontal cortex: task states, values, and beyond. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:1055-1069. [PMID: 39547861 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2024.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2024] [Revised: 10/16/2024] [Accepted: 10/17/2024] [Indexed: 11/17/2024]
Abstract
The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and ventromedial-prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) play a key role in decision-making and encode task states in addition to expected value. We review evidence suggesting a connection between value and state representations and argue that OFC / vmPFC integrate stimulus, context, and outcome information. Comparable encoding principles emerge in late layers of deep reinforcement learning (RL) models, where single nodes exhibit similar forms of mixed-selectivity, which enables flexible readout of relevant variables by downstream neurons. Based on these lines of evidence, we suggest that outcome-maximization leads to complex representational spaces that are insufficiently characterized by linear value signals that have been the focus of most prior research on the topic. Major outstanding questions concern the role of OFC/ vmPFC in learning across tasks, in encoding of task-irrelevant aspects, and the role of hippocampus-PFC interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nir Moneta
- Institute of Psychology, Universität Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany; Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Shany Grossman
- Institute of Psychology, Universität Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Nicolas W Schuck
- Institute of Psychology, Universität Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany; Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Wen X, Neumann A, Dhungana S, Womelsdorf T. Flexible Learning and Re-ordering of Context-dependent Object Sequences in Nonhuman Primates. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.11.24.625056. [PMID: 39605673 PMCID: PMC11601541 DOI: 10.1101/2024.11.24.625056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2024]
Abstract
Intelligent behavior involves mentally arranging learned information in novel ways and is particularly well developed in humans. While nonhuman primates (NHP) will learn to arrange new items in complex serial order and re-arrange neighboring items within that order, it has remained contentious whether they are capable to re-assign items more flexibly to non-adjacent positions. Such mental re-indexing is facilitated by inferring the latent temporal structure of experiences as opposed to learning serial chains of item-item associations. Here, we tested the ability for flexible mental re-indexing in rhesus macaques. Subjects learned to serially order five objects. A change of the background context indicated when the object order changed, probing the subjects to mentally re-arrange objects to non-adjacent positions of the learned serial structure. Subjects successfully used the context cue to pro-actively re-index items to new, non-adjacent positions. Mental re-indexing was more likely when the initial order had been learned at a higher level, improved with more experience of the re-indexing rule and correlated with working memory performance in a delayed match-to-sample task. These findings suggest that NHPs inferred the latent serial structure of experiences beyond a chaining of item-item associations and mentally rearrange items within that structure. The pattern of results indicates that NHPs form non-spatial cognitive maps of their experiences, which is a hallmark for flexible mental operations in many serially ordered behaviors including communication, counting or foraging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Wen
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Nashville, TN 372404
| | - Adam Neumann
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240
| | - Seema Dhungana
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240
| | - Thilo Womelsdorf
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Nashville, TN 372404
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Mahmoodi A, Luo S, Harbison C, Piray P, Rushworth MFS. Human hippocampus and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex infer and update latent causes during social interaction. Neuron 2024; 112:3796-3809.e9. [PMID: 39353432 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024]
Abstract
Latent-cause inference is the process of identifying features of the environment that have caused an outcome. This problem is especially important in social settings where individuals may not make equal contributions to the outcomes they achieve together. Here, we designed a novel task in which participants inferred which of two characters was more likely to have been responsible for outcomes achieved by working together. Using computational modeling, univariate and multivariate analysis of human fMRI, and continuous theta-burst stimulation, we identified two brain regions that solved the task. Notably, as each outcome occurred, it was possible to decode the inference of its cause (the responsible character) from hippocampal activity. Activity in dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) updated estimates of association between cause-responsible character-and the outcome. Disruption of dmPFC activity impaired participants' ability to update their estimate as a function of inferred responsibility but spared their ability to infer responsibility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ali Mahmoodi
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Shuyi Luo
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Caroline Harbison
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Payam Piray
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Matthew F S Rushworth
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Van de Maele T, Dhoedt B, Verbelen T, Pezzulo G. A hierarchical active inference model of spatial alternation tasks and the hippocampal-prefrontal circuit. Nat Commun 2024; 15:9892. [PMID: 39543207 PMCID: PMC11564537 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54257-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2024] [Indexed: 11/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Cognitive problem-solving benefits from cognitive maps aiding navigation and planning. Physical space navigation involves hippocampal (HC) allocentric codes, while abstract task space engages medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) task-specific codes. Previous studies show that challenging tasks, like spatial alternation, require integrating these two types of maps. The disruption of the HC-mPFC circuit impairs performance. We propose a hierarchical active inference model clarifying how this circuit solves spatial interaction tasks by bridging physical and task-space maps. Simulations demonstrate that the model's dual layers develop effective cognitive maps for physical and task space. The model solves spatial alternation tasks through reciprocal interactions between the two layers. Disrupting its communication impairs decision-making, which is consistent with empirical evidence. Additionally, the model adapts to switching between multiple alternation rules, providing a mechanistic explanation of how the HC-mPFC circuit supports spatial alternation tasks and the effects of disruption.
Collapse
Grants
- This research received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation under the Specific Specific Grant Agreements No. 945539 (Human Brain Project SGA3) and No. 952215 (TAILOR); the European Research Council under the Grant Agreement No. 820213 (ThinkAhead), the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), M4C2, funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU (Project IR0000011, CUP B51E22000150006, “EBRAINS-Italy”; Project PE0000013, “FAIR”; Project PE0000006, “MNESYS”), and the PRIN PNRR P20224FESY. The GEFORCE Quadro RTX6000 and Titan GPU cards used for this research were donated by the NVIDIA Corporation. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Toon Van de Maele
- IDLab, Department of Information Technology, Ghent University - imec, Ghent, Belgium
- VERSES Research Lab, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Bart Dhoedt
- IDLab, Department of Information Technology, Ghent University - imec, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Giovanni Pezzulo
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council, Rome, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Ruffini G, Castaldo F, Lopez-Sola E, Sanchez-Todo R, Vohryzek J. The Algorithmic Agent Perspective and Computational Neuropsychiatry: From Etiology to Advanced Therapy in Major Depressive Disorder. ENTROPY (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 26:953. [PMID: 39593898 PMCID: PMC11592617 DOI: 10.3390/e26110953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2024] [Revised: 10/15/2024] [Accepted: 10/29/2024] [Indexed: 11/28/2024]
Abstract
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a complex, heterogeneous condition affecting millions worldwide. Computational neuropsychiatry offers potential breakthroughs through the mechanistic modeling of this disorder. Using the Kolmogorov theory (KT) of consciousness, we developed a foundational model where algorithmic agents interact with the world to maximize an Objective Function evaluating affective valence. Depression, defined in this context by a state of persistently low valence, may arise from various factors-including inaccurate world models (cognitive biases), a dysfunctional Objective Function (anhedonia, anxiety), deficient planning (executive deficits), or unfavorable environments. Integrating algorithmic, dynamical systems, and neurobiological concepts, we map the agent model to brain circuits and functional networks, framing potential etiological routes and linking with depression biotypes. Finally, we explore how brain stimulation, psychotherapy, and plasticity-enhancing compounds such as psychedelics can synergistically repair neural circuits and optimize therapies using personalized computational models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Ruffini
- Brain Modeling Department, Neuroelectrics, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.-S.); (R.S.-T.)
| | - Francesca Castaldo
- Brain Modeling Department, Neuroelectrics, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.-S.); (R.S.-T.)
| | - Edmundo Lopez-Sola
- Brain Modeling Department, Neuroelectrics, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.-S.); (R.S.-T.)
- Computational Neuroscience Group, UPF, 08005 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Roser Sanchez-Todo
- Brain Modeling Department, Neuroelectrics, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; (E.L.-S.); (R.S.-T.)
- Computational Neuroscience Group, UPF, 08005 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Jakub Vohryzek
- Computational Neuroscience Group, UPF, 08005 Barcelona, Spain;
- Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, Linacre College, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9BX, UK
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Tacikowski P, Kalender G, Ciliberti D, Fried I. Human hippocampal and entorhinal neurons encode the temporal structure of experience. Nature 2024; 635:160-167. [PMID: 39322671 PMCID: PMC11540853 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07973-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/27/2024]
Abstract
Extracting the underlying temporal structure of experience is a fundamental aspect of learning and memory that allows us to predict what is likely to happen next. Current knowledge about the neural underpinnings of this cognitive process in humans stems from functional neuroimaging research1-5. As these methods lack direct access to the neuronal level, it remains unknown how this process is computed by neurons in the human brain. Here we record from single neurons in individuals who have been implanted with intracranial electrodes for clinical reasons, and show that human hippocampal and entorhinal neurons gradually modify their activity to encode the temporal structure of a complex image presentation sequence. This representation was formed rapidly, without providing specific instructions to the participants, and persisted when the prescribed experience was no longer present. Furthermore, the structure recovered from the population activity of hippocampal-entorhinal neurons closely resembled the structural graph defining the sequence, but at the same time, also reflected the probability of upcoming stimuli. Finally, learning of the sequence graph was related to spontaneous, time-compressed replay of individual neurons' activity corresponding to previously experienced graph trajectories. These findings demonstrate that neurons in the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex integrate the 'what' and 'when' information to extract durable and predictive representations of the temporal structure of human experience.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pawel Tacikowski
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Güldamla Kalender
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Davide Ciliberti
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Itzhak Fried
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Jiao L, Wang Y, Liu X, Li L, Liu F, Ma W, Guo Y, Chen P, Yang S, Hou B. Causal Inference Meets Deep Learning: A Comprehensive Survey. RESEARCH (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2024; 7:0467. [PMID: 39257419 PMCID: PMC11384545 DOI: 10.34133/research.0467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/11/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024]
Abstract
Deep learning relies on learning from extensive data to generate prediction results. This approach may inadvertently capture spurious correlations within the data, leading to models that lack interpretability and robustness. Researchers have developed more profound and stable causal inference methods based on cognitive neuroscience. By replacing the correlation model with a stable and interpretable causal model, it is possible to mitigate the misleading nature of spurious correlations and overcome the limitations of model calculations. In this survey, we provide a comprehensive and structured review of causal inference methods in deep learning. Brain-like inference ideas are discussed from a brain-inspired perspective, and the basic concepts of causal learning are introduced. The article describes the integration of causal inference with traditional deep learning algorithms and illustrates its application to large model tasks as well as specific modalities in deep learning. The current limitations of causal inference and future research directions are discussed. Moreover, the commonly used benchmark datasets and the corresponding download links are summarized.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Licheng Jiao
- The School of Artificial Intelligence, Xidian University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yuhan Wang
- The School of Artificial Intelligence, Xidian University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xu Liu
- The School of Artificial Intelligence, Xidian University, Xi'an, China
| | - Lingling Li
- The School of Artificial Intelligence, Xidian University, Xi'an, China
| | - Fang Liu
- The School of Artificial Intelligence, Xidian University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wenping Ma
- The School of Artificial Intelligence, Xidian University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yuwei Guo
- The School of Artificial Intelligence, Xidian University, Xi'an, China
| | - Puhua Chen
- The School of Artificial Intelligence, Xidian University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shuyuan Yang
- The School of Artificial Intelligence, Xidian University, Xi'an, China
| | - Biao Hou
- The School of Artificial Intelligence, Xidian University, Xi'an, China
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Wood JN, Pandey L, Wood SMW. Digital Twin Studies for Reverse Engineering the Origins of Visual Intelligence. Annu Rev Vis Sci 2024; 10:145-170. [PMID: 39292554 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-vision-101322-103628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/20/2024]
Abstract
What are the core learning algorithms in brains? Nativists propose that intelligence emerges from innate domain-specific knowledge systems, whereas empiricists propose that intelligence emerges from domain-general systems that learn domain-specific knowledge from experience. We address this debate by reviewing digital twin studies designed to reverse engineer the learning algorithms in newborn brains. In digital twin studies, newborn animals and artificial agents are raised in the same environments and tested with the same tasks, permitting direct comparison of their learning abilities. Supporting empiricism, digital twin studies show that domain-general algorithms learn animal-like object perception when trained on the first-person visual experiences of newborn animals. Supporting nativism, digital twin studies show that domain-general algorithms produce innate domain-specific knowledge when trained on prenatal experiences (retinal waves). We argue that learning across humans, animals, and machines can be explained by a universal principle, which we call space-time fitting. Space-time fitting explains both empiricist and nativist phenomena, providing a unified framework for understanding the origins of intelligence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Justin N Wood
- Informatics Department, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA; , ,
- Cognitive Science Program, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
- Neuroscience Department, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Lalit Pandey
- Informatics Department, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA; , ,
| | - Samantha M W Wood
- Informatics Department, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA; , ,
- Cognitive Science Program, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
- Neuroscience Department, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Liao Z, Losonczy A. Learning, Fast and Slow: Single- and Many-Shot Learning in the Hippocampus. Annu Rev Neurosci 2024; 47:187-209. [PMID: 38663090 PMCID: PMC11519319 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-102423-100258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/09/2024]
Abstract
The hippocampus is critical for memory and spatial navigation. The ability to map novel environments, as well as more abstract conceptual relationships, is fundamental to the cognitive flexibility that humans and other animals require to survive in a dynamic world. In this review, we survey recent advances in our understanding of how this flexibility is implemented anatomically and functionally by hippocampal circuitry, during both active exploration (online) and rest (offline). We discuss the advantages and limitations of spike timing-dependent plasticity and the more recently discovered behavioral timescale synaptic plasticity in supporting distinct learning modes in the hippocampus. Finally, we suggest complementary roles for these plasticity types in explaining many-shot and single-shot learning in the hippocampus and discuss how these rules could work together to support the learning of cognitive maps.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhenrui Liao
- Department of Neuroscience and Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA;
| | - Attila Losonczy
- Department of Neuroscience and Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Courellis HS, Minxha J, Cardenas AR, Kimmel DL, Reed CM, Valiante TA, Salzman CD, Mamelak AN, Fusi S, Rutishauser U. Abstract representations emerge in human hippocampal neurons during inference. Nature 2024; 632:841-849. [PMID: 39143207 PMCID: PMC11338822 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07799-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
Humans have the remarkable cognitive capacity to rapidly adapt to changing environments. Central to this capacity is the ability to form high-level, abstract representations that take advantage of regularities in the world to support generalization1. However, little is known about how these representations are encoded in populations of neurons, how they emerge through learning and how they relate to behaviour2,3. Here we characterized the representational geometry of populations of neurons (single units) recorded in the hippocampus, amygdala, medial frontal cortex and ventral temporal cortex of neurosurgical patients performing an inferential reasoning task. We found that only the neural representations formed in the hippocampus simultaneously encode several task variables in an abstract, or disentangled, format. This representational geometry is uniquely observed after patients learn to perform inference, and consists of disentangled directly observable and discovered latent task variables. Learning to perform inference by trial and error or through verbal instructions led to the formation of hippocampal representations with similar geometric properties. The observed relation between representational format and inference behaviour suggests that abstract and disentangled representational geometries are important for complex cognition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hristos S Courellis
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
| | - Juri Minxha
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Araceli R Cardenas
- Krembil Research Institute and Division of Neurosurgery, University Health Network (UHN), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniel L Kimmel
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chrystal M Reed
- Department of Neurology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Taufik A Valiante
- Krembil Research Institute and Division of Neurosurgery, University Health Network (UHN), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - C Daniel Salzman
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Kavli Institute for Brain Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Adam N Mamelak
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Stefano Fusi
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Kavli Institute for Brain Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ueli Rutishauser
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Center for Neural Science and Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Luo DD, Giri B, Diba K, Kemere C. Extended Poisson Gaussian-Process Latent Variable Model for Unsupervised Neural Decoding. Neural Comput 2024; 36:1449-1475. [PMID: 39028957 DOI: 10.1162/neco_a_01685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
Dimension reduction on neural activity paves a way for unsupervised neural decoding by dissociating the measurement of internal neural pattern reactivation from the measurement of external variable tuning. With assumptions only on the smoothness of latent dynamics and of internal tuning curves, the Poisson gaussian-process latent variable model (P-GPLVM; Wu et al., 2017) is a powerful tool to discover the low-dimensional latent structure for high-dimensional spike trains. However, when given novel neural data, the original model lacks a method to infer their latent trajectories in the learned latent space, limiting its ability for estimating the neural reactivation. Here, we extend the P-GPLVM to enable the latent variable inference of new data constrained by previously learned smoothness and mapping information. We also describe a principled approach for the constrained latent variable inference for temporally compressed patterns of activity, such as those found in population burst events during hippocampal sharp-wave ripples, as well as metrics for assessing the validity of neural pattern reactivation and inferring the encoded experience. Applying these approaches to hippocampal ensemble recordings during active maze exploration, we replicate the result that P-GPLVM learns a latent space encoding the animal's position. We further demonstrate that this latent space can differentiate one maze context from another. By inferring the latent variables of new neural data during running, certain neural patterns are observed to reactivate, in accordance with the similarity of experiences encoded by its nearby neural trajectories in the training data manifold. Finally, reactivation of neural patterns can be estimated for neural activity during population burst events as well, allowing the identification for replay events of versatile behaviors and more general experiences. Thus, our extension of the P-GPLVM framework for unsupervised analysis of neural activity can be used to answer critical questions related to scientific discovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Della Daiyi Luo
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, U.S.A.
| | - Bapun Giri
- Department of Anesthesiology, Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, U.S.A.
| | - Kamran Diba
- Department of Anesthesiology, Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, U.S.A.
| | - Caleb Kemere
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, U.S.A.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Lippl S, Kay K, Jensen G, Ferrera VP, Abbott LF. A mathematical theory of relational generalization in transitive inference. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2314511121. [PMID: 38968113 PMCID: PMC11252811 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2314511121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Humans and animals routinely infer relations between different items or events and generalize these relations to novel combinations of items. This allows them to respond appropriately to radically novel circumstances and is fundamental to advanced cognition. However, how learning systems (including the brain) can implement the necessary inductive biases has been unclear. We investigated transitive inference (TI), a classic relational task paradigm in which subjects must learn a relation ([Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]) and generalize it to new combinations of items ([Formula: see text]). Through mathematical analysis, we found that a broad range of biologically relevant learning models (e.g. gradient flow or ridge regression) perform TI successfully and recapitulate signature behavioral patterns long observed in living subjects. First, we found that models with item-wise additive representations automatically encode transitive relations. Second, for more general representations, a single scalar "conjunctivity factor" determines model behavior on TI and, further, the principle of norm minimization (a standard statistical inductive bias) enables models with fixed, partly conjunctive representations to generalize transitively. Finally, neural networks in the "rich regime," which enables representation learning and improves generalization on many tasks, unexpectedly show poor generalization and anomalous behavior on TI. We find that such networks implement a form of norm minimization (over hidden weights) that yields a local encoding mechanism lacking transitivity. Our findings show how minimal statistical learning principles give rise to a classical relational inductive bias (transitivity), explain empirically observed behaviors, and establish a formal approach to understanding the neural basis of relational abstraction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Lippl
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY10027
- Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY10027
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY10032
| | - Kenneth Kay
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY10027
- Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY10027
- Grossman Center for the Statistics of Mind, Columbia University, New York, NY10027
| | - Greg Jensen
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY10027
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY10032
- Department of Psychology, Reed College, Portland, OR97202
| | - Vincent P. Ferrera
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY10027
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY10032
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY10032
| | - L. F. Abbott
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY10027
- Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY10027
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY10032
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Kessler F, Frankenstein J, Rothkopf CA. Human navigation strategies and their errors result from dynamic interactions of spatial uncertainties. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5677. [PMID: 38971789 PMCID: PMC11227593 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49722-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Goal-directed navigation requires continuously integrating uncertain self-motion and landmark cues into an internal sense of location and direction, concurrently planning future paths, and sequentially executing motor actions. Here, we provide a unified account of these processes with a computational model of probabilistic path planning in the framework of optimal feedback control under uncertainty. This model gives rise to diverse human navigational strategies previously believed to be distinct behaviors and predicts quantitatively both the errors and the variability of navigation across numerous experiments. This furthermore explains how sequential egocentric landmark observations form an uncertain allocentric cognitive map, how this internal map is used both in route planning and during execution of movements, and reconciles seemingly contradictory results about cue-integration behavior in navigation. Taken together, the present work provides a parsimonious explanation of how patterns of human goal-directed navigation behavior arise from the continuous and dynamic interactions of spatial uncertainties in perception, cognition, and action.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Kessler
- Centre for Cognitive Science & Institute of Psychology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.
| | - Julia Frankenstein
- Centre for Cognitive Science & Institute of Psychology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Constantin A Rothkopf
- Centre for Cognitive Science & Institute of Psychology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
- Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Qiu L, Qiu Y, Liao J, Li J, Zhang X, Chen K, Huang Q, Huang R. Functional specialization of medial and lateral orbitofrontal cortex in inferential decision-making. iScience 2024; 27:110007. [PMID: 38868183 PMCID: PMC11167445 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Inferring prospective outcomes and updating behavior are prerequisites for making flexible decisions in the changing world. These abilities are highly associated with the functions of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in humans and animals. The functional specialization of OFC subregions in decision-making has been established in animals. However, the understanding of how human OFC contributes to decision-making remains limited. Therefore, we studied this issue by examining the information representation and functional interactions of human OFC subregions during inference-based decision-making. We found that the medial OFC (mOFC) and lateral OFC (lOFC) collectively represented the inferred outcomes which, however, were context-general coding in the mOFC and context-specific in the lOFC. Furthermore, the mOFC-motor and lOFC-frontoparietal functional connectivity may indicate the motor execution of mOFC and the cognitive control of lOFC during behavioral updating. In conclusion, our findings support the dissociable functional roles of OFC subregions in decision-making.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lixin Qiu
- School of Psychology; Center for Studies of Psychological Application; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Yidan Qiu
- School of Psychology; Center for Studies of Psychological Application; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Jiajun Liao
- School of Psychology; Center for Studies of Psychological Application; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Jinhui Li
- School of Psychology; Center for Studies of Psychological Application; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Xiaoying Zhang
- School of Psychology; Center for Studies of Psychological Application; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Kemeng Chen
- School of Psychology; Center for Studies of Psychological Application; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Qinda Huang
- School of Psychology; Center for Studies of Psychological Application; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Ruiwang Huang
- School of Psychology; Center for Studies of Psychological Application; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Lin H, Zhou J. Hippocampal and orbitofrontal neurons contribute to complementary aspects of associative structure. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5283. [PMID: 38902232 PMCID: PMC11190210 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49652-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The ability to establish associations between environmental stimuli is fundamental for higher-order brain functions like state inference and generalization. Both the hippocampus and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) play pivotal roles in this, demonstrating complex neural activity changes after associative learning. However, how precisely they contribute to representing learned associations remains unclear. Here, we train head-restrained mice to learn four 'odor-outcome' sequence pairs composed of several task variables-the past and current odor cues, sequence structure of 'cue-outcome' arrangement, and the expected outcome; and perform calcium imaging from these mice throughout learning. Sequence-splitting signals that distinguish between paired sequences are detected in both brain regions, reflecting associative memory formation. Critically, we uncover differential contents in represented associations by examining, in each area, how these task variables affect splitting signal generalization between sequence pairs. Specifically, the hippocampal splitting signals are influenced by the combination of past and current cues that define a particular sensory experience. In contrast, the OFC splitting signals are similar between sequence pairs that share the same sequence structure and expected outcome. These findings suggest that the hippocampus and OFC uniquely and complementarily organize the acquired associative structure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huixin Lin
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Jingfeng Zhou
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, 102206, China.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Zhang Z, Tang F, Li Y, Feng X. Modeling the grid cell activity based on cognitive space transformation. Cogn Neurodyn 2024; 18:1227-1243. [PMID: 38826659 PMCID: PMC11143158 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-023-09972-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The grid cells in the medial entorhinal cortex are widely recognized as a critical component of spatial cognition within the entorhinal-hippocampal neuronal circuits. To account for the hexagonal patterns, several computational models have been proposed. However, there is still considerable debate regarding the interaction between grid cells and place cells. In response, we have developed a novel grid-cell computational model based on cognitive space transformation, which established a theoretical framework of the interaction between place cells and grid cells for encoding and transforming positions between the local frame and global frame. Our model not only can generate the firing patterns of the grid cells but also reproduces the biological experiment results about the grid-cell global representation of connected environments and supports the conjecture about the underlying reason. Moreover, our model provides new insights into how grid cells and place cells integrate external and self-motion cues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhihui Zhang
- University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 China
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016 China
| | - Fengzhen Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016 China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016 China
| | - Yiping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016 China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016 China
| | - Xisheng Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016 China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016 China
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Shirdhankar RN, Malkemper EP. Cognitive maps and the magnetic sense in vertebrates. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2024; 86:102880. [PMID: 38657284 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2024.102880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Navigation requires a network of neurons processing inputs from internally generated cues and external landmarks. Most studies on the neuronal basis of navigation in vertebrates have focused on rats and mice and the canonical senses vision, hearing, olfaction, and somatosensation. Some animals have evolved the ability to sense the Earth's magnetic field and use it for orientation. It can be expected that in these animals magnetic cues are integrated with other sensory cues in the cognitive map. We provide an overview of the behavioral evidence and brain regions involved in magnetic sensing in support of this idea, hoping that this will guide future experiments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Runita N Shirdhankar
- Research Group Neurobiology of Magnetoreception, Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior - Caesar, Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, Bonn 53175, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Brain and Behavior, Bonn, Germany
| | - E Pascal Malkemper
- Research Group Neurobiology of Magnetoreception, Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior - Caesar, Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, Bonn 53175, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Fenton AA. Remapping revisited: how the hippocampus represents different spaces. Nat Rev Neurosci 2024; 25:428-448. [PMID: 38714834 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-024-00817-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
The representation of distinct spaces by hippocampal place cells has been linked to changes in their place fields (the locations in the environment where the place cells discharge strongly), a phenomenon that has been termed 'remapping'. Remapping has been assumed to be accompanied by the reorganization of subsecond cofiring relationships among the place cells, potentially maximizing hippocampal information coding capacity. However, several observations challenge this standard view. For example, place cells exhibit mixed selectivity, encode non-positional variables, can have multiple place fields and exhibit unreliable discharge in fixed environments. Furthermore, recent evidence suggests that, when measured at subsecond timescales, the moment-to-moment cofiring of a pair of cells in one environment is remarkably similar in another environment, despite remapping. Here, I propose that remapping is a misnomer for the changes in place fields across environments and suggest instead that internally organized manifold representations of hippocampal activity are actively registered to different environments to enable navigation, promote memory and organize knowledge.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- André A Fenton
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute at the NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Schneider H. The emergence of enhanced intelligence in a brain-inspired cognitive architecture. Front Comput Neurosci 2024; 18:1367712. [PMID: 38984056 PMCID: PMC11231642 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2024.1367712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
The Causal Cognitive Architecture is a brain-inspired cognitive architecture developed from the hypothesis that the navigation circuits in the ancestors of mammals duplicated to eventually form the neocortex. Thus, millions of neocortical minicolumns are functionally modeled in the architecture as millions of "navigation maps." An investigation of a cognitive architecture based on these navigation maps has previously shown that modest changes in the architecture allow the ready emergence of human cognitive abilities such as grounded, full causal decision-making, full analogical reasoning, and near-full compositional language abilities. In this study, additional biologically plausible modest changes to the architecture are considered and show the emergence of super-human planning abilities. The architecture should be considered as a viable alternative pathway toward the development of more advanced artificial intelligence, as well as to give insight into the emergence of natural human intelligence.
Collapse
|
41
|
Qiu Y, Li H, Liao J, Chen K, Wu X, Liu B, Huang R. Forming cognitive maps for abstract spaces: the roles of the human hippocampus and orbitofrontal cortex. Commun Biol 2024; 7:517. [PMID: 38693344 PMCID: PMC11063219 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06214-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
How does the human brain construct cognitive maps for decision-making and inference? Here, we conduct an fMRI study on a navigation task in multidimensional abstract spaces. Using a deep neural network model, we assess learning levels and categorized paths into exploration and exploitation stages. Univariate analyses show higher activation in the bilateral hippocampus and lateral prefrontal cortex during exploration, positively associated with learning level and response accuracy. Conversely, the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and retrosplenial cortex show higher activation during exploitation, negatively associated with learning level and response accuracy. Representational similarity analysis show that the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, and OFC more accurately represent destinations in exploitation than exploration stages. These findings highlight the collaboration between the medial temporal lobe and prefrontal cortex in learning abstract space structures. The hippocampus may be involved in spatial memory formation and representation, while the OFC integrates sensory information for decision-making in multidimensional abstract spaces.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yidan Qiu
- School of Psychology; Center for the Study of Applied Psychology; Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province; Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Huakang Li
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Jiajun Liao
- School of Psychology; Center for the Study of Applied Psychology; Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province; Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Kemeng Chen
- School of Psychology; Center for the Study of Applied Psychology; Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province; Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Xiaoyan Wu
- School of Psychology; Center for the Study of Applied Psychology; Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province; Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Bingyi Liu
- School of Psychology; Center for the Study of Applied Psychology; Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province; Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Ruiwang Huang
- School of Psychology; Center for the Study of Applied Psychology; Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province; Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education; South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Kang P, Tobler PN, Dayan P. Bayesian reinforcement learning: A basic overview. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2024; 211:107924. [PMID: 38579896 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2024.107924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
We and other animals learn because there is some aspect of the world about which we are uncertain. This uncertainty arises from initial ignorance, and from changes in the world that we do not perfectly know; the uncertainty often becomes evident when our predictions about the world are found to be erroneous. The Rescorla-Wagner learning rule, which specifies one way that prediction errors can occasion learning, has been hugely influential as a characterization of Pavlovian conditioning and, through its equivalence to the delta rule in engineering, in a much wider class of learning problems. Here, we review the embedding of the Rescorla-Wagner rule in a Bayesian context that is precise about the link between uncertainty and learning, and thereby discuss extensions to such suggestions as the Kalman filter, structure learning, and beyond, that collectively encompass a wider range of uncertainties and accommodate a wider assortment of phenomena in conditioning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pyungwon Kang
- University of Zurich, Department of Economics, Laboratory for Social and Neural Systems Research, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Philippe N Tobler
- University of Zurich, Department of Economics, Laboratory for Social and Neural Systems Research, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Peter Dayan
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany; University of Tübingen, Tübingen Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Beshkov K, Fyhn M, Hafting T, Einevoll GT. Topological structure of population activity in mouse visual cortex encodes densely sampled stimulus rotations. iScience 2024; 27:109370. [PMID: 38523791 PMCID: PMC10959658 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The primary visual cortex is one of the most well understood regions supporting the processing involved in sensory computation. Following the popularization of high-density neural recordings, it has been observed that the activity of large neural populations is often constrained to low dimensional manifolds. In this work, we quantify the structure of such neural manifolds in the visual cortex. We do this by analyzing publicly available two-photon optical recordings of mouse primary visual cortex in response to visual stimuli with a densely sampled rotation angle. Using a geodesic metric along with persistent homology, we discover that population activity in response to such stimuli generates a circular manifold, encoding the angle of rotation. Furthermore, we observe that this circular manifold is expressed differently in subpopulations of neurons with differing orientation and direction selectivity. Finally, we discuss some of the obstacles to reliably retrieving the truthful topology generated by a neural population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kosio Beshkov
- Center for Integrative Neuroplasticity, Department of Bioscience, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marianne Fyhn
- Center for Integrative Neuroplasticity, Department of Bioscience, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Torkel Hafting
- Center for Integrative Neuroplasticity, Department of Bioscience, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Gaute T. Einevoll
- Center for Integrative Neuroplasticity, Department of Bioscience, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Physics, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, As, Norway
- Department of Physics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Clark H, Nolan MF. Task-anchored grid cell firing is selectively associated with successful path integration-dependent behaviour. eLife 2024; 12:RP89356. [PMID: 38546203 PMCID: PMC10977970 DOI: 10.7554/elife.89356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Grid firing fields have been proposed as a neural substrate for spatial localisation in general or for path integration in particular. To distinguish these possibilities, we investigate firing of grid and non-grid cells in the mouse medial entorhinal cortex during a location memory task. We find that grid firing can either be anchored to the task environment, or can encode distance travelled independently of the task reference frame. Anchoring varied between and within sessions, while spatial firing of non-grid cells was either coherent with the grid population, or was stably anchored to the task environment. We took advantage of the variability in task-anchoring to evaluate whether and when encoding of location by grid cells might contribute to behaviour. We find that when reward location is indicated by a visual cue, performance is similar regardless of whether grid cells are task-anchored or not, arguing against a role for grid representations when location cues are available. By contrast, in the absence of the visual cue, performance was enhanced when grid cells were anchored to the task environment. Our results suggest that anchoring of grid cells to task reference frames selectively enhances performance when path integration is required.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Harry Clark
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Hugh Robson Building, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Matthew F Nolan
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, Hugh Robson Building, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Noda T, Aschauer DF, Chambers AR, Seiler JPH, Rumpel S. Representational maps in the brain: concepts, approaches, and applications. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1366200. [PMID: 38584779 PMCID: PMC10995314 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1366200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Neural systems have evolved to process sensory stimuli in a way that allows for efficient and adaptive behavior in a complex environment. Recent technological advances enable us to investigate sensory processing in animal models by simultaneously recording the activity of large populations of neurons with single-cell resolution, yielding high-dimensional datasets. In this review, we discuss concepts and approaches for assessing the population-level representation of sensory stimuli in the form of a representational map. In such a map, not only are the identities of stimuli distinctly represented, but their relational similarity is also mapped onto the space of neuronal activity. We highlight example studies in which the structure of representational maps in the brain are estimated from recordings in humans as well as animals and compare their methodological approaches. Finally, we integrate these aspects and provide an outlook for how the concept of representational maps could be applied to various fields in basic and clinical neuroscience.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Noda
- Institute of Physiology, Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University-Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Dominik F. Aschauer
- Institute of Physiology, Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University-Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Anna R. Chambers
- Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Eaton Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Johannes P.-H. Seiler
- Institute of Physiology, Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University-Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Simon Rumpel
- Institute of Physiology, Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University-Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Stöckl C, Yang Y, Maass W. Local prediction-learning in high-dimensional spaces enables neural networks to plan. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2344. [PMID: 38490999 PMCID: PMC10943103 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46586-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Planning and problem solving are cornerstones of higher brain function. But we do not know how the brain does that. We show that learning of a suitable cognitive map of the problem space suffices. Furthermore, this can be reduced to learning to predict the next observation through local synaptic plasticity. Importantly, the resulting cognitive map encodes relations between actions and observations, and its emergent high-dimensional geometry provides a sense of direction for reaching distant goals. This quasi-Euclidean sense of direction provides a simple heuristic for online planning that works almost as well as the best offline planning algorithms from AI. If the problem space is a physical space, this method automatically extracts structural regularities from the sequence of observations that it receives so that it can generalize to unseen parts. This speeds up learning of navigation in 2D mazes and the locomotion with complex actuator systems, such as legged bodies. The cognitive map learner that we propose does not require a teacher, similar to self-attention networks (Transformers). But in contrast to Transformers, it does not require backpropagation of errors or very large datasets for learning. Hence it provides a blue-print for future energy-efficient neuromorphic hardware that acquires advanced cognitive capabilities through autonomous on-chip learning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Stöckl
- Institute of Theoretical Computer Science, Graz University of Technology, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Yukun Yang
- Institute of Theoretical Computer Science, Graz University of Technology, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Wolfgang Maass
- Institute of Theoretical Computer Science, Graz University of Technology, 8010, Graz, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Beetz MJ. A perspective on neuroethology: what the past teaches us about the future of neuroethology. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2024; 210:325-346. [PMID: 38411712 PMCID: PMC10995053 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-024-01695-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
For 100 years, the Journal of Comparative Physiology-A has significantly supported research in the field of neuroethology. The celebration of the journal's centennial is a great time point to appreciate the recent progress in neuroethology and to discuss possible avenues of the field. Animal behavior is the main source of inspiration for neuroethologists. This is illustrated by the huge diversity of investigated behaviors and species. To explain behavior at a mechanistic level, neuroethologists combine neuroscientific approaches with sophisticated behavioral analysis. The rapid technological progress in neuroscience makes neuroethology a highly dynamic and exciting field of research. To summarize the recent scientific progress in neuroethology, I went through all abstracts of the last six International Congresses for Neuroethology (ICNs 2010-2022) and categorized them based on the sensory modalities, experimental model species, and research topics. This highlights the diversity of neuroethology and gives us a perspective on the field's scientific future. At the end, I highlight three research topics that may, among others, influence the future of neuroethology. I hope that sharing my roots may inspire other scientists to follow neuroethological approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Jerome Beetz
- Zoology II, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Issa JB, Radvansky BA, Xuan F, Dombeck DA. Lateral entorhinal cortex subpopulations represent experiential epochs surrounding reward. Nat Neurosci 2024; 27:536-546. [PMID: 38272968 PMCID: PMC11097142 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01557-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
During goal-directed navigation, 'what' information, describing the experiences occurring in periods surrounding a reward, can be combined with spatial 'where' information to guide behavior and form episodic memories. This integrative process likely occurs in the hippocampus, which receives spatial information from the medial entorhinal cortex; however, the source of the 'what' information is largely unknown. Here, we show that mouse lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC) represents key experiential epochs during reward-based navigation tasks. We discover separate populations of neurons that signal goal approach and goal departure and a third population signaling reward consumption. When reward location is moved, these populations immediately shift their respective representations of each experiential epoch relative to reward, while optogenetic inhibition of LEC disrupts learning the new reward location. Therefore, the LEC contains a stable code of experiential epochs surrounding and including reward consumption, providing reward-centric information to contextualize the spatial information carried by the medial entorhinal cortex.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John B Issa
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Brad A Radvansky
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Feng Xuan
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Daniel A Dombeck
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Peters‐Founshtein G, Gazit L, Naveh T, Domachevsky L, Korczyn AD, Bernstine H, Shaharabani‐Gargir L, Groshar D, Marshall GA, Arzy S. Lost in space(s): Multimodal neuroimaging of disorientation along the Alzheimer's disease continuum. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26623. [PMID: 38488454 PMCID: PMC10941506 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Orientation is a fundamental cognitive faculty and the bedrock of the neurologic examination. Orientation is defined as the alignment between an individual's internal representation and the external world in the spatial, temporal, and social domains. While spatial disorientation is a recognized hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD), little is known about disorientation beyond space in AD. This study aimed to explore disorientation in spatial, temporal, and social domains along the AD continuum. Fifty-one participants along the AD continuum performed an ecological orientation task in the spatial, temporal, and social domains while undergoing functional MRI. Disorientation in AD followed a three-way association between orientation domain, brain region, and disease stage. Specifically, patients with early amnestic mild cognitive impairment exhibited spatio-temporal disorientation and reduced brain activity in temporoparietal regions, while patients with AD dementia showed additional social disorientation and reduced brain activity in frontoparietal regions. Furthermore, patterns of hypoactivation overlapped different subnetworks of the default mode network, patterns of fluorodeoxyglucose hypometabolism, and cortical atrophy characteristic of AD. Our results suggest that AD may encompass a disorder of orientation, characterized by a biphasic process manifesting as early spatio-temporal and late social disorientation. As such, disorientation may offer a unique window into the clinicopathological progression of AD. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Despite extensive research into Alzheimer's disease (AD), its core cognitive deficit remains a matter of debate. In this study, we investigated whether orientation, defined as the ability to align internal representations with the external world in spatial, temporal, and social domains, constitutes a core cognitive deficit in AD. To do so, we used PET-fMRI imaging to collect behavioral, functional, and metabolic data from 51 participants along the AD continuum. Our findings suggest that AD may constitute a disorder of orientation, characterized by an early spatio-temporal disorientation and followed by late social disorientation, manifesting in task-evoked and neurodegenerative changes. We propose that a profile of disorientation across multiple domains offers a unique window into the progression of AD and as such could greatly benefit disease diagnosis, monitoring, and evaluation of treatment response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Peters‐Founshtein
- The Computational Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Medical Neurobiology, Faculty of MedicineHebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
- Department of Nuclear MedicineSheba Medical CenterRamat‐GanIsrael
| | - Lidor Gazit
- The Computational Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Medical Neurobiology, Faculty of MedicineHebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
- Department of NeurologyHadassah Hebrew University Medical SchoolJerusalemIsrael
| | - Tahel Naveh
- The Computational Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Medical Neurobiology, Faculty of MedicineHebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
- Department of NeurologyHadassah Hebrew University Medical SchoolJerusalemIsrael
| | - Liran Domachevsky
- Department of Nuclear MedicineSheba Medical CenterRamat‐GanIsrael
- Department of Nuclear MedicineAssuta Medical CenterTel‐AvivIsrael
| | | | - Hanna Bernstine
- Department of Nuclear MedicineAssuta Medical CenterTel‐AvivIsrael
- Department of ImagingTel‐Aviv UniversityTel‐AvivIsrael
- Department of Nuclear MedicineRabin Medical CenterPetah TikvaIsrael
| | | | - David Groshar
- Department of Nuclear MedicineAssuta Medical CenterTel‐AvivIsrael
- Department of ImagingTel‐Aviv UniversityTel‐AvivIsrael
| | - Gad A. Marshall
- Department of Neurology, Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's HospitalMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Shahar Arzy
- The Computational Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Medical Neurobiology, Faculty of MedicineHebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
- Department of NeurologyHadassah Hebrew University Medical SchoolJerusalemIsrael
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Karagoz AB, Moran EK, Barch DM, Kool W, Reagh ZM. Evidence for shallow cognitive maps in schizophrenia. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.26.582214. [PMID: 38464042 PMCID: PMC10925159 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.26.582214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Individuals with schizophrenia can have marked deficits in goal-directed decision making. Prominent theories differ in whether schizophrenia (SZ) affects the ability to exert cognitive control, or the motivation to exert control. An alternative explanation is that schizophrenia negatively impacts the formation of cognitive maps, the internal representations of the way the world is structured, necessary for the formation of effective action plans. That is, deficits in decision-making could also arise when goal-directed control and motivation are intact, but used to plan over ill-formed maps. Here, we test the hypothesis that individuals with SZ are impaired in the construction of cognitive maps. We combine a behavioral representational similarity analysis technique with a sequential decision-making task. This enables us to examine how relationships between choice options change when individuals with SZ and healthy age-matched controls build a cognitive map of the task structure. Our results indicate that SZ affects how people represent the structure of the task, focusing more on simpler visual features and less on abstract, higher-order, planning-relevant features. At the same time, we find that SZ were able to display similar performance on this task compared to controls, emphasizing the need for a distinction between cognitive map formation and changes in goal-directed control in understanding cognitive deficits in schizophrenia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ata B Karagoz
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis
| | - Erin K Moran
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis
| | - Deanna M Barch
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine
| | - Wouter Kool
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis
| | - Zachariah M Reagh
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis
| |
Collapse
|