Hippocampal pyramidal neurons are thought to encode spatial information. A subset of these cells, named place cells, are active only when the animal traverses a specific region within the environment. Although vastly studied experimentally, the development and stabilization of place fields are not fully understood. Here, we propose a mechanistic model of place cell formation in the hippocampal CA1 region. Using our model, we reproduce place field dynamics observed experimentally and provide a mechanistic explanation for the stabilization of place fields. Finally, our model provides specific predictions on protocols to shift place field location.
Model Type: Connectionist Network; Neuron or other electrically excitable cell
Region(s) or Organism(s): Hippocampus
Cell Type(s): Abstract rate-based neuron
Model Concept(s): Place cell/field; Synaptic Plasticity
Simulation Environment: Python
Implementer(s): Pedrosa, Victor [v.pedrosa15 at imperial.ac.uk]
References:
Pedrosa V, Clopath C. (2020). The interplay between somatic and dendritic inhibition promotes the emergence and stabilization of place fields. PLoS computational biology. 16 [PubMed]