The development of the hippocampal neural representation of space.
The hippocampal formation (HF) contains a neural representation of the environment, based on the activity of several classes of neurons whose firing is tuned to an animal's position and orientation in space. Recently, work has begun on understanding when and how this neural map of space emerges during development. Different classes of spatially tuned neurons emerge at different ages, some of them very early during development, before animals have started exploring their environment. The developmental timeline thus far uncovered has yielded insights into both the mechanisms of the ontogeny of the neural code for space, as well as how this system functions in the adult.
Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK. Electronic address: t.wills@ucl.ac.uk.
Thomas J
TJ
Wills
Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK. Electronic address: f.cacucci@ucl.ac.uk.
Francesca
F
Cacucci
D000818:Animals; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology*; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*