Enhanced Hippocampus–Nidopallium Caudolaterale Interaction in Visual–Spatial Associative Learning of Pigeons

Abstract

Learning the spatial location associated with visual cues in the environment is crucial for survival. This ability is supported by a distributed interactive network. However, it is not fully understood how the most important task-related brain areas in birds, the hippocampus (Hp) and the nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL), interact in visual–spatial associative learning. To investigate the mechanisms of such coordination, synchrony and causal analysis were applied to the local field potentials of the Hp and NCL of pigeons while performing a visual–spatial associative learning task. The results showed that, over the course of learning, theta-band (4–12 Hz) oscillations in the Hp and NCL became strongly synchronized before the pigeons entered the critical choice platform for turning, with the information flowing preferentially from the Hp to the NCL. The learning process was primarily associated with the increased Hp–NCL interaction of theta rhythm. Meanwhile, the enhanced theta-band Hp–NCL interaction predicted the correct choice, supporting the pigeons’ use of visual cues to guide navigation. These findings provide insight into the dynamics of Hp–NCL interaction during visual–spatial associative learning, serving to reveal the mechanisms of Hp and NCL coordination during the encoding and retrieval of visual–spatial associative memory.