Summary
Forming associations between objects, places, actions, and outcomes is essential for understanding and navigating the world. The brain links stimuli to outcomes, enabling experience-based learning and the ability to generalize. This thesis investigates how visual associations are processed in the parahippocampal cortex of mice during spatial and non-spatial tasks. Using advanced genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs), I recorded neuronal activity as mice learned to associate visual cues with meaningful outcomes.
Key findings reveal that disrupting specific neurons in the postrhinal cortex (POR) impairs learning of these associations. Additionally, the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) - traditionally associated with spatial navigation - was also found to encode non-spatial associations, revealing a broader role in learning. Furthermore, during spatial navigation, the POR and MEC process visual information in distinct ways: the POR reliably responds to specific visual cues, while the MEC adjusts its activity depending on the spatial context.
These discoveries shed light on how different brain regions work together to process visual information and form associations, offering a deeper understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying learning and memory.