On How the Dentate Gyrus Contributes to Memory Discrimination

Milenna Tamara van Dijk, André Antonio Fenton

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The dentate gyrus (DG) is crucial for behaviorally discriminating similar spatial memories, predicting that DG place cells change (“remap”) their relative spatial tuning (“place fields”) for memory discrimination. This prediction was never tested, although DG place cells remap across similar environments without memory tasks. We confirm this prior finding but find that DG place fields do not remap across spatial tasks that require DG-dependent memory discrimination. Instead of remapping, place-discriminating discharge is observed transiently among DG place cells, particularly when memory discrimination is most necessary. The DG network may signal memory discrimination by expressing distinctive sub-second network patterns of co-firing at memory discrimination sites. This involves increased coupling of discharge from place cells and interneurons, as was observed during successful, but not failed, behavioral expression of memory discrimination. Instead of remapping, these findings indicate that memory discrimination is signaled by sub-second patterns of correlated discharge within the dentate network. van Dijk and Fenton report that dentate gyrus place cells signal memory discrimination not by remapping, but by variable sub-second patterns of coordinated place cell discharge marked by enhanced discharge coupling between excitatory and inhibitory neurons during memory discrimination.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)832-845.e5
JournalNeuron
Volume98
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - May 16 2018

Keywords

  • dentate gyrus
  • memory discrimination
  • pattern separation
  • place cells
  • remapping

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

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