A model of path integration and navigation based on head direction cells in entorhinal cortex

Abstract

So far it is widely believed that mammalian navigation is based on map-like place representations created by hippocampal place cells. Models supporting this compute returning path to origin as a sequence of places, or as a sequence of firing place cells. However, these models often fail to compute the shortest returning path to start point. Moreover, one big constraint of these models is that the space has to be well explored to find a returning path from a certain endpoint. Here we propose a computational model for path integration and navigation based on Head Direction (HD) cells and grid cells. We show that an ensemble of HD cells can accumulate distance and compute the direction from the start point to the present location during exploration. Based on this vector navigation, and with the help of properties of grid cells in entorhinal cortex, it is possible to navigate the way back to the origin. We show that our recent model of rat entorhinal cortex provides these functional mechanisms of path integration and vector navigation. © 2010 Springer-Verlag.