REFLEX | Studying the role of the retrosplenial cortex in flexible learning

Summary
An emerging view of cortical area function posits that instead of primarily accounting for sensory processing and motor control, cortical areas might mediate flexible handling of sensory information and motor planning through learning and memory. In this project I propose to investigate this notion focusing on the function of retrosplenial cortex (RSC), a large, poorly understood and highly interconnected cortical area that interfaces with the hippocampal system. RSC has a key role in memory, and is thought to control flexible use of contextual information; it accounts for earliest memory deficits in Alzheimer’s disease.
In primates, the RSC is positioned immediately behind the splenium and is centrally located between cortical sensory and limbic memory regions. It exhibits reciprocal connections with the hippocampal for-mation, anterior thalamic nucleus, and a network of dorso-medial cortical areas. RSC has a critical role in spatial and relational memory, and its interactions with the hippocampal system are essential for normal memory processing.
The focus of this project is the hypothesis that the connectivity patterns of RSC account for what has been called its “translational” properties. I will first study the role of RSC in a generic form of flexible learning, then I will focus on spatial learning and analyse the capability of RSC to integrate information across multiple cue types and use these inputs to deal with the environment e.g. in allocentric-egocentric and egocen-tric-allocentric transformations.
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More information & hyperlinks
Web resources: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/707047
Start date: 01-09-2016
End date: 31-08-2018
Total budget - Public funding: 175 419,60 Euro - 175 419,00 Euro
Cordis data

Original description

An emerging view of cortical area function posits that instead of primarily accounting for sensory processing and motor control, cortical areas might mediate flexible handling of sensory information and motor planning through learning and memory. In this project I propose to investigate this notion focusing on the function of retrosplenial cortex (RSC), a large, poorly understood and highly interconnected cortical area that interfaces with the hippocampal system. RSC has a key role in memory, and is thought to control flexible use of contextual information; it accounts for earliest memory deficits in Alzheimer’s disease.
In primates, the RSC is positioned immediately behind the splenium and is centrally located between cortical sensory and limbic memory regions. It exhibits reciprocal connections with the hippocampal for-mation, anterior thalamic nucleus, and a network of dorso-medial cortical areas. RSC has a critical role in spatial and relational memory, and its interactions with the hippocampal system are essential for normal memory processing.
The focus of this project is the hypothesis that the connectivity patterns of RSC account for what has been called its “translational” properties. I will first study the role of RSC in a generic form of flexible learning, then I will focus on spatial learning and analyse the capability of RSC to integrate information across multiple cue types and use these inputs to deal with the environment e.g. in allocentric-egocentric and egocen-tric-allocentric transformations.

Status

CLOSED

Call topic

MSCA-IF-2015-EF

Update Date

28-04-2024
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Horizon 2020
H2020-EU.1. EXCELLENT SCIENCE
H2020-EU.1.3. EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
H2020-EU.1.3.2. Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
H2020-MSCA-IF-2015
MSCA-IF-2015-EF Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF)