A model of hippocampal circuitry mediating goal-driven navigation in a familiar environment

Abstract Considerable data demonstrates a role for the hippocampus in spatial navigation. Here, we present a detailed model of how the components of hippocampal circuitry might guide movement toward flexible goal locations in a familiar environment. The model contains the following features: (1) route planning is based on the spread of activation; (2) the spread of activation is gated by environmental constraints; (3) multiple goals are visited sequentially; (4) spatial representation is goal-independent; (5) place cells predict the future position by about one θ-cycle; and (6) the model selects the shorter path among alternatives. This model can be further extended to address complex navigational functions.

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