Prefrontal cortex synchronization with the hippocampus and parietal cortex is strategy-dependent during spatial learning
Abstract During spatial learning, subjects progressively adjust their navigation strategies as they acquire experience. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) supports this operation, for which it may integrate information from distributed networks, such as the hippocampus (HPC) and the posterior parie...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Communications Biology |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07486-1 |
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| _version_ | 1832594515054034944 |
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| author | Francisca García Maria-José Torres Lorena Chacana-Véliz Nelson Espinosa Wael El-Deredy Pablo Fuentealba Ignacio Negrón-Oyarzo |
| author_facet | Francisca García Maria-José Torres Lorena Chacana-Véliz Nelson Espinosa Wael El-Deredy Pablo Fuentealba Ignacio Negrón-Oyarzo |
| author_sort | Francisca García |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract During spatial learning, subjects progressively adjust their navigation strategies as they acquire experience. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) supports this operation, for which it may integrate information from distributed networks, such as the hippocampus (HPC) and the posterior parietal cortex (PPC). However, the mechanism underlying the prefrontal coordination with HPC and PPC during spatial learning is poorly understood. Here we show that during navigation trials, mice displayed two sequential behavioral stages: searching and exploration. Exclusively during searching, mice gradually increased their efficiency by transitioning from non-spatial to spatial strategies. When mice used spatial strategies specifically in searching stage, hippocampal and parietal oscillations synchronized gamma oscillations (60-100 Hz) and neuronal firing in the mPFC. This coincided with an increase in the incidence of gamma and task-stage-related changes in firing patterns in the mPFC. These findings relate the goal-directed organization of behavior during spatial learning to transient task-related prefrontal large-scale synchronization. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-db57d5842e2b42acb5289db53b879af3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2399-3642 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Biology |
| spelling | doaj-art-db57d5842e2b42acb5289db53b879af32025-01-19T12:35:21ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Biology2399-36422025-01-018111410.1038/s42003-025-07486-1Prefrontal cortex synchronization with the hippocampus and parietal cortex is strategy-dependent during spatial learningFrancisca García0Maria-José Torres1Lorena Chacana-Véliz2Nelson Espinosa3Wael El-Deredy4Pablo Fuentealba5Ignacio Negrón-Oyarzo6Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de ValparaísoInstituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de ValparaísoInstituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de ValparaísoCentro Integrativo de Neurociencias y Departamento de Psiquiatría, Pontificia Universidad Católica de ChileCenter of Interdisciplinary Biomedical and Engineering Research for Health, Universidad de ValparaísoCentro Integrativo de Neurociencias y Departamento de Psiquiatría, Pontificia Universidad Católica de ChileInstituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de ValparaísoAbstract During spatial learning, subjects progressively adjust their navigation strategies as they acquire experience. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) supports this operation, for which it may integrate information from distributed networks, such as the hippocampus (HPC) and the posterior parietal cortex (PPC). However, the mechanism underlying the prefrontal coordination with HPC and PPC during spatial learning is poorly understood. Here we show that during navigation trials, mice displayed two sequential behavioral stages: searching and exploration. Exclusively during searching, mice gradually increased their efficiency by transitioning from non-spatial to spatial strategies. When mice used spatial strategies specifically in searching stage, hippocampal and parietal oscillations synchronized gamma oscillations (60-100 Hz) and neuronal firing in the mPFC. This coincided with an increase in the incidence of gamma and task-stage-related changes in firing patterns in the mPFC. These findings relate the goal-directed organization of behavior during spatial learning to transient task-related prefrontal large-scale synchronization.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07486-1 |
| spellingShingle | Francisca García Maria-José Torres Lorena Chacana-Véliz Nelson Espinosa Wael El-Deredy Pablo Fuentealba Ignacio Negrón-Oyarzo Prefrontal cortex synchronization with the hippocampus and parietal cortex is strategy-dependent during spatial learning Communications Biology |
| title | Prefrontal cortex synchronization with the hippocampus and parietal cortex is strategy-dependent during spatial learning |
| title_full | Prefrontal cortex synchronization with the hippocampus and parietal cortex is strategy-dependent during spatial learning |
| title_fullStr | Prefrontal cortex synchronization with the hippocampus and parietal cortex is strategy-dependent during spatial learning |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prefrontal cortex synchronization with the hippocampus and parietal cortex is strategy-dependent during spatial learning |
| title_short | Prefrontal cortex synchronization with the hippocampus and parietal cortex is strategy-dependent during spatial learning |
| title_sort | prefrontal cortex synchronization with the hippocampus and parietal cortex is strategy dependent during spatial learning |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07486-1 |
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