An Important Step toward Understanding the Role of Body-based Cues on Human Spatial Memory for Large-Scale Environments

Abstract

Moving our body through space is fundamental to human navigation; however, technical and physical limitations have hindered our ability to study the role of these body-based cues experimentally. We recently designed an experiment using novel immersive virtual-reality technology, which allowed us to tightly control the availability of body-based cues to determine how these cues influence human spatial memory [Huffman, D. J., & Ekstrom, A. D. A modality-independent network underlies the retrieval of large-scale spatial environments in the human brain. Neuron, 104, 611–622, 2019]. Our analysis of behavior and fMRI data revealed a similar pattern of results across a range of body-based cues conditions, thus suggesting that participants likely relied primarily on vision to form and retrieve abstract, holistic representations of the large-scale environments in our experiment. We ended our article by discussing a number of caveats and future directions for research on the role of body-based cues in human spatial memory. Here, we reiterate and expand on this discussion, and we use a commentary in this issue by A. Steel, C. E. Robertson, and J. S. Taube (Current promises and limitations of combined virtual reality and functional magnetic resonance imaging research in humans: A commentary on Huffman and Ekstrom (2019). Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 2020) as a helpful discussion point regarding some of the questions that we think will be the most interesting in the coming years. We highlight the exciting possibility of taking a more naturalistic approach to study the behavior, cognition, and neuroscience of navigation. Moreover, we share the hope that researchers who study navigation in humans and nonhuman animals will synergize to provide more rapid advancements in our understanding of cognition and the brain.

Building Embodied Spaces for Spatial Memory Neurorehabilitation with Virtual Reality in Normal and Pathological Aging

“…They concluded that visual information might play a key role in large-scale spaces compared to bodily cues. These findings are raising an important debate [1,42] concerning how and when bodily cues influence spatial memory. Their contribution might depend on the type of the task (i.e., egocentric or allocentric), the spatial scale (i.e., peripersonal and large scale), and the type of the interface (linear vs. exponential ability to use virtual and real-world bodily cues).…”

“…Their contribution might depend on the type of the task (i.e., egocentric or allocentric), the spatial scale (i.e., peripersonal and large scale), and the type of the interface (linear vs. exponential ability to use virtual and real-world bodily cues). It might be that bodily cues are particularly relevant for egocentric and near-space representation of the environment also depending on the role of the VR interface [42] or that the ability to use cues follows an exponential trend in real-world compared to VR navigation [1].…”

“…In young adults, the pattern is much more consistent for allocentric, egocentric, and episodic memory. The concept of virtual enactment effect could be also applied to the current debate (see, [1,42]) and be a potential explaining factor for the findings reported by Huffman and Ekstrom [26]. In their experiment, all three conditions ('impoverished', 'limited', and 'enriched') can be considered forms of 'active' navigation with different degrees of virtual bodily representation where the virtual enactment effect can occur.…”

Contribution of cognitive and bodily navigation cues to egocentric and allocentric spatial memory in hallucinations due to Parkinson's disease: A case report

“…However, spatial navigation, in addition to vision, requires the active recruitment of bodily information (e.g., motor commands, proprioception, vestibular system) and cognitive processes (e.g., spatial attention, spatial operations, and route decision-making) (Chrastil and Warren, 2012 ). How these cues influence egocentric and allocentric frames of reference is still a matter of debate (Chrastil and Warren, 2012 ; Huffman and Ekstrom, 2021 ; Steel et al, 2021 ). In particular, some authors (e.g., Huffman and Ekstrom, 2021 ) suggest that egocentric spatial memory is more affected by body-based information or peri-personal space tasks.…”

“…How these cues influence egocentric and allocentric frames of reference is still a matter of debate (Chrastil and Warren, 2012 ; Huffman and Ekstrom, 2021 ; Steel et al, 2021 ). In particular, some authors (e.g., Huffman and Ekstrom, 2021 ) suggest that egocentric spatial memory is more affected by body-based information or peri-personal space tasks.…”