biostudies-literatureJiang WCHoward Hughes Medical Institute1693-1705https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9708565biostudies-literatureUnknown25(12)Animals learn trajectories to rewards in both spatial, navigational contexts and relational, non-navigational contexts. Synchronous reactivation of hippocampal activity is thought to be critical for recall and evaluation of trajectories for learning. Do hippocampal representations differentially contribute to experience-dependent learning of trajectories across spatial and relational contexts? In this study, we trained mice to navigate to a hidden target in a physical arena or manipulate a joystick to a virtual target to collect delayed rewards. In a navigational context, calcium imaging in freely moving mice revealed that synchronous CA1 reactivation was retrospective and important for evaluation of prior navigational trajectories. In a non-navigational context, reactivation was prospective and important for initiation of joystick trajectories, even in the same animals trained in both contexts. Adaptation of trajectories to a new target was well-explained by a common learning algorithm in which hippocampal activity makes dissociable contributions to reinforcement learning computations depending upon spatial context.Nature neuroscienceHippocampal representations of foraging trajectories depend upon spatial context.PMC9708565N/AJiang WCXu SDudman JTfalseHippocampal representations of foraging trajectories depend upon spatial context.Animals learn trajectories to rewards in both spatial, navigational contexts and relational, non-navigational contexts. Synchronous reactivation of hippocampal activity is thought to be critical for recall and evaluation of trajectories for learning. Do hippocampal representations differentially contribute to experience-dependent learning of trajectories across spatial and relational contexts? In this study, we trained mice to navigate to a hidden target in a physical arena or manipulate a joystick to a virtual target to collect delayed rewards. In a navigational context, calcium imaging in freely moving mice revealed that synchronous CA1 reactivation was retrospective and important for evaluation of prior navigational trajectories. In a non-navigational context, reactivation was prospective and important for initiation of joystick trajectories, even in the same animals trained in both contexts. Adaptation of trajectories to a new target was well-explained by a common learning algorithm in which hippocampal activity makes dissociable contributions to reinforcement learning computations depending upon spatial context.2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Dec2026-05-03T22:42:45.94Z2025-04-05T09:43:46.89ZS-EPMC97085653644693410.1038/s41593-022-01201-7