The brain constructs a cohesive representation of the spatial environment to facilitate memory and direct forthcoming actions. This is called the 'cognitive map.' This mental map of the surroundings plays an important role in distance, direction relations, nonspatial attributes, route connections as well and emotional associations. Certain neurons in your brain keep track of the specific location in which you are positioned therefore building a map in your brain that is a spatial representation of the outside world. As these neurons are fired when at a precise location, they can organize, store, and retrieve memories.
In the research article "Space in the Brain: how the hippocampal formation supports spatial cognition" Tom Hartley, Colin Lever, Neil Burgess, and John O'Keefe present the study of how the cells in the hippocampal formation provide a representation of an animal's current location. As individual neurons are found to have spatially restricted firing fields, they carry spatial information about the source of sensory information or the destination of forthcoming actions. With the help of male rats, researchers were able to implement electrodes in various fields of the brain to see how the cortical map is developed through their keen olfactory and somatosensory systems. The major categories of spatial cells were also studied and included place cells, head direction cells, grid cells, and boundary cells which all have characteristic firing pattern that encodes spatial parameters based on the animal's current position and orientation.
Recognizing the significance of the cognitive spatial map and its role in shaping the memory of one's environment, John O'Keefe's research suggests methods to enhance this map in individuals with less robust visual systems. Both articles take part to emphasize the cognitive spatial map and its ability to help humans and animals. The research on the cognitive map through the hippocampus has been done on animals, specifically male rats, however in the article "Cognitive map formation in the blind is enhanced by three-dimensional tactile information" researchers Maxime Bleu, Camille van Acker, Natalina Martiniello, Joseph Paul Nemargut and Maurice Ptito have taken part in researching the influence of tactile maps to form cognitive maps through touch. Orientation of surroundings in the absence of vision is strongly dependent on an individual's ability to form cognitive maps. In this study, participants were asked to learn the layout of mazes that were produced by various sensory information, specifically, tactile 2D, tactile 3D, and a control condition, and then asked to recount the maze from memory. Blind individuals are more likely to be disoriented in complex spaces that require many non-linear movements, therefore, taking advantage of their somatosensory system facilitates essential cognitive map formation through tactile maps. Participants as a result were able to work out routes with varying levels of complexity, proving that the cognitive map formation can be formed using tactile senses regardless if they have visual experience or not. To study the impacts of tactile maps, 2D and 3D maps needed to be presented to the participants, however, not having prior representational rules of visual 2D maps made it harder for less experienced tactile readers. The utilization of 3d tactile information resulted in route performance comparable to that achieved with a robust visual system, providing an advantageous impact on enhancing cognitive map formation across diverse individuals.
When exploring the idea of a cognitive map, both articles define it as an internal mental representation of the environment. This representation preserves spatial attributes, including the location and relationships such as distance and direction, among memorized landmarks, paths, and other environmental characteristics. However, the second article further presents the study of using only tactile senses in developing the cognitive map. The cognitive map can develop and be strengthened even if all five senses are not present at the same time. The knowledge of how spatial maps develop in O'Keefe's study has allowed further research into how people who are blind can sense their environment and develop a map of their surroundings through repeated use of tactile maps. Knowing how fundamental a spatial map is can be implemented in various studies as well. Proving that even if you do not have a working visual system it does not limit one's ability to have a working spatial sense. The formation and reinforcement of cognitive maps over time underscore their significant role in the brain, influencing the ability to determine and develop behaviors. The additional knowledge from Maxime Bleu's article challenges preconceptions about the reliance on visual stimuli for spatial perception and behavior development highlighting the versatility of cognitive mapping in shaping our understanding of the world. Overall, the findings contribute to a growing body of evidence emphasizing the significance of cognitive spatial maps, showcasing their potential applicability across diverse fields of study.
References:
Bleau, Maxime, et al. “Cognitive Map Formation in the Blind Is Enhanced by Three-Dimensional Tactile Information.” Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, 15 June 2023, www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-36578-3%20.
Cognitive map formation in the blind is enhanced by three-dimensional tactile information
Space in the Brain: How the Hippocampal Formation Supports Spatial ..., royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rstb.2012.0510. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.
“Cognitive Maps - the Science behind Our Brain’s Internal Mapping and Navigation System.” Utah GIS Portal, gis.utah.gov/cognitive-maps/. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.
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