Abstract
Spatial navigation is a complex cognitive process based on vestibular, proprioceptive, and visualcues that are integrated and processed by an extensive network of brain areas. The retrosplenial complex (RSC) is an integral part of coordination and translation between spatial reference frames. Previous studies have demonstrated that the RSC is active during a spatial navigation tasks. The specifics of RSC activity under various navigation loads, however, are still not characterized. This study investigated the local information processed by the RSC under various navigation load conditions manipulated by the number of turns in the physical navigation setup. The results showed that the local information processed via the RSC, which was reflected by the segregation network, was higher when the number of turns increased, suggesting that RSC activity is associated with the navigation task load. The present findings shed light on how the brain processes spatial information in a physical navigation task.
Highlights
S PATIAL navigation is an essential human skill
We found that participant performance measured by landmark-pointing errors increased as the navigation load increased, which was manipulated by the number of turning points (NT) during navigation
We found that the local information processing via the retrosplenial complex (RSC) increased when the NT increased, reflecting that the RSC plays an important role in coordinating and processing information in active navigation
Summary
S PATIAL navigation is an essential human skill. Without it, we would be lost—literally. We know that several regions of the brain [1], [2] are involved in integrating and translating our movements [3], visual cues, proprioceptive information, and other sensory inputs into a mental representation of space [4]. One of these brain regions is the retrosplenial complex (RSC) [5], which is a central hub between the areas of the brain that govern visual processing, associations, learning, and memory and is indirectly linked to planning and decisionmaking.
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