Conjunctive encoding of exploratory intentions and spatial information in the hippocampus

Yi-Fan Zeng, Ke-Xin Yang, Yilong Cui, Xiao-Na Zhu, Rui Li, Hanqing Zhang, Dong Chuan Wu, Raymond C. Stevens, Ji Hu and Ning Zhou ()
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Yi-Fan Zeng: ShanghaiTech University
Ke-Xin Yang: ShanghaiTech University
Yilong Cui: ShanghaiTech University
Xiao-Na Zhu: ShanghaiTech University
Rui Li: ShanghaiTech University
Hanqing Zhang: ShanghaiTech University
Dong Chuan Wu: China Medical University
Raymond C. Stevens: ShanghaiTech University
Ji Hu: ShanghaiTech University
Ning Zhou: ShanghaiTech University

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Abstract The hippocampus creates a cognitive map of the external environment by encoding spatial and self-motion-related information. However, it is unclear whether hippocampal neurons could also incorporate internal cognitive states reflecting an animal’s exploratory intention, which is not driven by rewards or unexpected sensory stimuli. In this study, a subgroup of CA1 neurons was found to encode both spatial information and animals’ investigatory intentions in male mice. These neurons became active before the initiation of exploration behaviors at specific locations and were nearly silent when the same fields were traversed without exploration. Interestingly, this neuronal activity could not be explained by object features, rewards, or mismatches in environmental cues. Inhibition of the lateral entorhinal cortex decreased the activity of these cells during exploration. Our findings demonstrate that hippocampal neurons may bridge external and internal signals, indicating a potential connection between spatial representation and intentional states in the construction of internal navigation systems.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47570-4

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