Spatial Geometric Information Research Articles

Neural basis of the spatial navigation based on geometric cues

Recent studies have found that hippocampus of mammals and birds and the lateral pallium of the fish telencephalon are critical for learning the geometric properties of space. Nevertheless, other studies suggest that navigation based on geometric information is primarily supported by proximal cues near the target location. According to this hypothesis, animals could use a taxon strategy to navigate an environment where only geometric cues are available and the results from lesion studies could be masking other effects related to the use of featural information. In the present study, we examined the effects of lesions to the lateral pallium of goldfish in the encoding of geometric spatial information. Goldfish with telencephalic lesions were trained to search for a goal in a rectangular-shaped arena with either one or two possible goals. Lateral pallium lesions do not interfere with goal location when the geometric information defined the goal unambiguously. Present results suggest that the geometric information is sensitive to be encoded in taxon strategies and therefore it could not depend directly on the correct functioning of the hippocampal system.

Spatial learning-induced egr-1 expression in telencephalon of gold fish Carassius auratus

The immediate-early gene (egr-1) expression was used to examine the neuron's response in telencephalon of goldfish during spatial learning in small space. Fishes were pre-exposed in the experimental apparatus and trained to pick food from the tray in a rectangular-shaped arena. The apparatus was divided into identical compartments comprising three gates to provide different spatial tasks. After the fish learned to pass through the gate one, two more gates were introduced one by one. Fish made more number of attempts and took longer time (P<0.05) to pass through the first gate than the gate two or three. This active learning induces the expression of egr-1 in telencephalon as established by western blot analysis. Subsequently, the fish learn quickly to cross the similar type of second and third gate and make fewer errors with a corresponding decline in the level of egr-1 expression. As the fish learned to pass through all the three gates, third gate was replaced by modified gate three. Interestingly, the level of egr-1 expression increased again, when the fish exhibit a high exploratory behavior to cross the modified gate three. The present study shows that egr-1 expression is induced in the telencephalon of goldfish while intensively acquiring geometric spatial information to pass through the gates.

Telencephalon and geometric space in goldfish

Neuroanatomical evidence indicates that the lateral pallium (LP) of ray-finned fishes could be homologous to the hippocampus of mammals and birds. Recent studies have found that hippocampus of mammals and birds is critical for learning geometric properties of space. In this work, we studied the effects of lesions to the lateral pallium of goldfish on the encoding of geometric spatial information. Goldfish with telencephalic lesions were trained to search for a goal in a rectangular-shaped arena containing one different wall that served as the only distinctive environmental feature. Although fish with lateral pallium lesions learned the task even faster than sham and medial pallium (MP)-lesioned animals, subsequent probe trials showed that they were insensitive to geometric information. Sham and medial pallium-lesioned animals could use both geometric and feature information to locate the goal. By contrast, fish with lateral palium lesions relied exclusively on the feature information provided by the wall of a different colour. These results indicate that lesions to the lateral pallium of goldfish, like hippocampal lesions in mammals and birds, selectively impair the encoding of geometric spatial information of environmental space. Thus, the forebrain structures of teleost fish that are neuroanatomically equivalent to the mammalian and avian hippocampus also share a central role in supporting spatial cognition. Present results suggest that the presence of a hippocampal-dependent memory system implicated in the processing of geometric spatial information is an ancient feature of the vertebrate forebrain that has been conserved during the divergent evolution of different vertebrate groups.

Presentation Media, Information Complexity, and Learning Outcomes

Cognitive processing limitations restrict the number of complex information items held and processed in human working memory. To overcome such limitations, a verbal working memory channel is used to construct an if-then proposition representation of facts and a visual working memory channel is used to construct a visual imagery of geometric spatial information. Recent findings suggest that these two channels augment each other in enhancing cognitive processing, thereby increasing comprehension and retention. Multimedia computing provides a variety of information presentation modality combinations (i.e., text, pictures, narration, animation, and video). The fact that educators have observed that visuals enhance learning suggests that multimedia presentations should be superior to text-only and text with static pictures in facilitating optimal human information processing and, therefore, comprehension. This article reports the findings from a 3 (text-only, overhead slides, and multimedia presentation) × 2 (high and low information complexity) factorial experiment. Subjects read a text script, viewed an acetate overhead slide presentation, or viewed a multimedia presentation depicting the greenhouse effect (low complexity) or photocopier operation (high complexity). Multimedia was superior to text-only and overhead slides for comprehension. Information complexity diminished comprehension and perceived presentation quality. Significant interactions indicated that multimedia was able to reduce the negative impact of information complexity on comprehension and increase the extent of sustained attention to the presentation. These findings suggest that multimedia presentations invoke the use of both the verbal and visual working memory channels resulting in a reduction of the cognitive load imposed by increased information complexity. Moreover, multimedia superiority in facilitating comprehension goes beyond its ability to increase sustained attention; the quality and effectiveness of information processing attained (i.e., use of verbal and visual working memory) is also significant.