The anterior thalamus provides a subcortical circuit supporting memory and spatial navigation

Jankowski, Maciej M., Ronnqvist, Kim C., Tsanov, Marian, Vann, Seralynne Denise ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6709-8773, Wright, Nicholas Fraser, Erichsen, Jonathan Thor ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1545-9853, Aggleton, John Patrick ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5573-1308 and O'Mara, Shane M. 2013. The anterior thalamus provides a subcortical circuit supporting memory and spatial navigation. Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience 7 , 45. 10.3389/fnsys.2013.00045

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Abstract

The anterior thalamic nuclei (ATN), a central component of Papez' circuit, are generally assumed to be key constituents of the neural circuits responsible for certain categories of learning and memory. Supporting evidence for this contention is that damage to either of two brain regions, the medial temporal lobe and the medial diencephalon, is most consistently associated with anterograde amnesia. Within these respective regions, the hippocampal formation and the ATN (anteromedial, anteroventral, and anterodorsal) are the particular structures of interest. The extensive direct and indirect hippocampal-anterior thalamic interconnections and the presence of theta-modulated cells in both sites further support the hypothesis that these structures constitute a neuronal network crucial for memory and cognition. The major tool in understanding how the brain processes information is the analysis of neuronal output at each hierarchical level along the pathway of signal propagation coupled with neuroanatomical studies. Here, we discuss the electrophysiological properties of cells in the ATN with an emphasis on their role in spatial navigation. In addition, we describe neuroanatomical and functional relationships between the ATN and hippocampal formation.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Optometry and Vision Sciences Psychology Medicine Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (NMHRI)
Subjects:	R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0321 Neuroscience. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry R Medicine > RE Ophthalmology
Uncontrolled Keywords:	anterior thalamus, memory, spatial navigation, theta rhythm, head direction cells
Additional Information:	Pdf uploaded in accordance with publisher's policy at http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/issn/1662-5137/ (accessed 25/02/2014). This Document is Protected by copyright and was first published by Frontiers. All rights reserved. it is reproduced with permission.
Publisher:	Frontiers Media
ISSN:	1662-5137
Funders:	Wellcome Trust
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Last Modified:	07 Nov 2023 11:18
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/51250

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