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New information triggers prospective codes to adapt for flexible navigation

Author

Listed:
  • Stephanie M. Prince

    (Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology)

  • Sarah Danielle Cushing

    (Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology)

  • Teema A. Yassine

    (Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology)

  • Navya Katragadda

    (Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology)

  • Tyler C. Roberts

    (Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology)

  • Annabelle C. Singer

    (Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology)

Abstract

Navigating a dynamic world requires rapidly updating choices by integrating past experiences with new information. In hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, neural activity representing future goals is theorized to support navigational planning. However, it remains unknown how prospective goal representations incorporate new, pivotal information. Accordingly, we designed a navigation task that precisely introduces new information using virtual reality, and we recorded neural activity as male mice flexibly adapted their planned destinations. Here we show that new information triggered increased hippocampal prospective representations of both possible goals; while in prefrontal cortex, new information caused prospective representations of choices to rapidly shift to the new choice. When mice did not adapt, prefrontal choice codes failed to switch. Prospective codes were dependent on the amount of behavioral adaptation needed; the new goal arm was represented more strongly when animals needed to change their behavior more. Thus, we show how prospective codes update with new information to flexibly adapt ongoing navigational plans.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephanie M. Prince & Sarah Danielle Cushing & Teema A. Yassine & Navya Katragadda & Tyler C. Roberts & Annabelle C. Singer, 2025. "New information triggers prospective codes to adapt for flexible navigation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-20, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-60122-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60122-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ayelet Sarel & Shaked Palgi & Dan Blum & Johnatan Aljadeff & Liora Las & Nachum Ulanovsky, 2022. "Natural switches in behaviour rapidly modulate hippocampal coding," Nature, Nature, vol. 609(7925), pages 119-127, September.
    2. Chenguang Zheng & Ernie Hwaun & Carlos A. Loza & Laura Lee Colgin, 2021. "Hippocampal place cell sequences differ during correct and error trials in a spatial memory task," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-14, December.
    3. Makoto Tamura & Timothy J. Spellman & Andrew M. Rosen & Joseph A. Gogos & Joshua A. Gordon, 2017. "Hippocampal-prefrontal theta-gamma coupling during performance of a spatial working memory task," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Aman B. Saleem & E. Mika Diamanti & Julien Fournier & Kenneth D. Harris & Matteo Carandini, 2018. "Coherent encoding of subjective spatial position in visual cortex and hippocampus," Nature, Nature, vol. 562(7725), pages 124-127, October.
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