Population dynamics of head-direction neurons during drift and reorientation.

ABSTRACT: The head direction (HD) system functions as the brain's internal compass^1,2, classically formalized as a one-dimensional ring attractor network^3,4. In contrast to a globally consistent magnetic compass, the HD system does not have a universal reference frame. Instead, it anchors to local cues, maintaining a stable offset when cues rotate^5-8 and drifting in the absence of referents^5,8-10. However, questions about the mechanisms that underlie anchoring and drift remain unresolved and are best addressed at the population level. For example, the extent to which the one-dimensional description of population activity holds under conditions of reorientation and drift is unclear. Here we performed population recordings of thalamic HD cells using calcium

SUBMITTER: Ajabi Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10060160 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature