Widespread coding of navigational variables in prefrontal cortex

Abstract

To navigate, we must represent information about our place in the environment. Traditional research highlights the role of the hippocampal complex in this process. Spurred by recent research highlighting the widespread cortical encoding of cognitive and motor variables previously thought to have localized function, we hypothesized that navigational variables would be likewise encoded widely, especially in the prefrontal cortex, which is often associated with control of volitional behavior. We recorded neural activity from six prefrontal structures while macaques performed a foraging task in an open enclosure. In all six regions, we found strong encoding of allocentric position, head direction, egocentric boundary distance, and linear and angular velocity. These encodings were not accounted for by distance or time to reward. Strength of coding of all variables increase along a ventral-to-dorsal gradient. Together these results argue that encoding of navigational variables is not localized to the hippocampal complex and support the hypothesis that navigation is continuous with other forms of flexible cognition in the service of action.