Blair H T, Sharp P E
Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8205, USA.
Behav Neurosci. 1996 Aug;110(4):643-60. doi: 10.1037//0735-7044.110.4.643.
As a rat navigates through space, head-direction cells provide an ongoing signal of its momentary directional heading. This directional signal is thought to be generated, in part, by a dead-reckoning mechanism that uses angular motion information to constantly update the directional representation. This study investigated what kinds of angular motion information might be used for dead reckoning. Anterior thalamic head-direction cells were recorded from rats in a rotatable, cylindrical chamber, which could independently deliver visual motion cues and vestibular cues. Results suggest that both of these angular motion cues have an influence on head-direction cells and may thus be used for dead reckoning. The authors conclude that vestibular and visual movement cues work interactively, along with visual landmarks and motor signals, to determine the directional frame of reference.
当一只大鼠在空间中导航时，头部方向细胞会提供其瞬时方向的持续信号。这种方向信号被认为部分是由一种航位推算机制产生的，该机制利用角运动信息不断更新方向表征。本研究调查了哪些类型的角运动信息可能用于航位推算。在一个可旋转的圆柱形实验箱中记录大鼠前丘脑的头部方向细胞，该实验箱可以独立提供视觉运动线索和前庭线索。结果表明，这两种角运动线索都对头部方向细胞有影响，因此可能用于航位推算。作者得出结论，前庭和视觉运动线索与视觉地标和运动信号相互作用，以确定方向参照系。
