Hippocampal spatio-predictive cognitive maps adaptively guide reward generalization.

ABSTRACT: The brain forms cognitive maps of relational knowledge-an organizing principle thought to underlie our ability to generalize and make inferences. However, how can a relevant map be selected in situations where a stimulus is embedded in multiple relational structures? Here, we find that both spatial and predictive cognitive maps influence generalization in a choice task, where spatial location determines reward magnitude. Mirroring behavior, the hippocampus not only builds a map of spatial relationships but also encodes the experienced transition structure. As the task progresses, participants' choices become more influenced by spatial relationships, reflected in a strengthening of the spatial map and a weakening of the predictive map. This change is driven by orbitofrontal cortex, which re

SUBMITTER: Garvert MM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10076220 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature