Reward changes the use and structure of predictive spatial maps
- 1Technion - Israel Institute of Technology & Allen Institute for Neural Dynamics
Abstract
Reward-related changes in hippocampal place-cell activity may reflect either different use of an existing spatial map or plasticity that reshapes the map. We separated these contributions in a two-pathway model: a recurrent network learned to predict sensory input and developed a spatial representation, while a reinforcement-learning controller combined this representation with an explicit goal signal to guide behavior. Replaying identical trajectories before and after learning isolated representational plasticity. Goal-directed behavior strongly concentrated place fields near reward, whereas changes to the representation were smaller and more variable. A reward-proximity teaching signal made these changes larger and more consistent, and the change was strongly attenuated when recurrent plasticity was restricted. After reward relocation, goal-related directional tuning adapted more fully than place-field organization, while withdrawing reward and proximity teaching reversed the learned field concentration. Thus, reward affects predictive spatial maps through separable mechanisms: goal information changes how an existing map is used, whereas reward-related teaching signals reshape the map itself. Our results provide a concrete framework for future experiments to disentangle how reward information, plasticity and behavior jointly shape hippocampal activity.
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BibTeX
@misc{oza2026reward,
title = {{Reward changes the use and structure of predictive spatial maps}},
author = {S. Oza and A. Cohen and G. Wager and D. Derdikman and S. Recanatesi},
howpublished = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.64898/2026.10.28.762439},
url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.28.762439v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Reward changes the use and structure of predictive spatial maps
AU - S. Oza
AU - A. Cohen
AU - G. Wager
AU - D. Derdikman
AU - S. Recanatesi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/28
PB - bioRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.10.28.762439
UR - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.28.762439v1
AB - Reward-related changes in hippocampal place-cell activity may reflect either different use of an existing spatial map or plasticity that reshapes the map. We separated these contributions in a two-pathway model: a recurrent network learned to predict sensory input and developed a spatial representation, while a reinforcement-learning controller combined this representation with an explicit goal signal to guide behavior. Replaying identical trajectories before and after learning isolated representational plasticity. Goal-directed behavior strongly concentrated place fields near reward, whereas changes to the representation were smaller and more variable. A reward-proximity teaching signal made these changes larger and more consistent, and the change was strongly attenuated when recurrent plasticity was restricted. After reward relocation, goal-related directional tuning adapted more fully than place-field organization, while withdrawing reward and proximity teaching reversed the learned field concentration. Thus, reward affects predictive spatial maps through separable mechanisms: goal information changes how an existing map is used, whereas reward-related teaching signals reshape the map itself. Our results provide a concrete framework for future experiments to disentangle how reward information, plasticity and behavior jointly shape hippocampal activity.
ER -