Hippocampal Network Interactions Reveal a Dual-process Framework of Human Navigation

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre 

Navigational abilities are fundamental to human survival and daily functioning, enabling us to explore new environments, find resources, and return home safely. In the real world, navigational strategies are suggested to rely on a combination of internal memory representations (e.g. cognitive maps) and external visual cues (e.g. landmarks). However, the neural substrates of these cognitive strategies remain unclear [1]. Through a machine learning-based dimensionality reduction approach with robust cross-validation strategies [2], we first identified two core processes underlying navigational skill: memory-based and map-based navigation. In a large cohort, we then investigated the neural basis of these cognitive processes by examining intrinsic functional interactions of the anterior hippocampus – a key region implicated in human spatial navigation.