Abstract:
The hippocampus plays a crucial role in visual, episodic, spatial, and contextual processes. A recent study has found that the hippocampus plays a role in social cognition which is analogous to its role in episodic memory (1). Hence, hippocampal dysfunction may contribute to maladaptive social behaviors in animals. Therefore, understanding the principles of the information processing in the hippocampus using available morphology, electrophysiology and connectivity data of the hippocampus (www.Hippocampome.org) may play important role in exploring neural circuits underlying cognitive functions of the hippocampus. For this purpose, by using information available in Hippocampome project, we developed a physical model of information processing in the entorhinal cortex and the dentate gyrus to study the role of structural and physiological parameters involved in pattern separation efficiency of the hippocampus (2). This study has shown a critical role of feedback inhibition by local interneurons in some cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. In this talk, we present a framework that integrates hippocampal cognitive functions, which our neurobiologically realistic computational model simulates information processing in social cognitive functions of the hippocampus. I will further discuss the implications of our model for the development of 'cognitive robots'.


Venue:
School of Cognitive Sciences, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM),
Opposite the ARAJ, Artesh Highway, Tehran, Iran