VISUAL AND VESTIBULAR INFLUENCES ON HEAD-DIRECTION CELLS IN THE ANTERIOR THALAMUS OF THE RAT

As a rat navigates through space, head-direction cells provide an ongo ing signal of its momentary directional heading. This directional sign al is thought to be generated, in part, by a dead-reckoning mechanism that uses angular motion information to constantly update the directio nal representation. This study investigated what kinds of angular moti on information might be used for dead reckoning. Anterior thalamic hea d-direction cells were recorded from rats in a rotatable, cylindrical chamber, which could independently deliver visual motion cues and vest ibular cues. Results suggest that both of these angular motion cues ha ve an influence on head-direction cells and may thus br used for dead reckoning. The authors conclude that vestibular and visual movement cu es work interactively, along with visual landmarks and motor signals, to determine the directional frame of reference.