Electrophysiological Signatures of Spatial and Temporal Coding in Humans

Space and time are two cornerstones of memory and navigation. However, how spatial and temporal information contribute to spatial and mnemonic representations is still poorly understood in humans. One of the neural signatures in humans related to memory and navigation are neural oscillations in cortical and subcortical regions (such as the hippocampus). The presence of cortical and hippocampal theta oscillations predicts better subsequent memory and more efficient spatial navigation, but the exact relationship between neural oscillations and the coding of spatial distances and temporal durations are unknown. In this dissertation, I will provide empirical evidence to help fill this gap and to better the understanding of how cortical and hippocampal neural oscillations support the coding of spatiotemporal information. In Chapter 1, I provide a brief summary of scalp electroencephalogram (EEG), intracranial EEG, mobile EEG, hippocampal theta oscillations, frontal midline theta oscillations, and behavioral models for spatial and temporal cognition. In Chapter 2, I report the feasibility of recording navigation-related frontal-midline theta oscillations using noninvasive scalp EEG in healthy humans using a mobile EEG approach. In Chapter 3 and 4, I report two investigations of how neural oscillations code spatial distances and temporal durations in healthy humans using mobile scalp EEG (Chapter 3) and in patients with hippocampal implanted electrodes (Chapter 4). In Chapter 5, I summarize how the understanding of oscillatory codes for space and time can inspire the behavioral and clinical applications for future research.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Graduate College

Grantor dc:publisher

The University of Arizona.

Year dc:date.issued

2022

Author dc:creator

• Liang, Mingli

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Ekstrom, Arne

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Isham, Eve
• Cowen, Stephen

• frontal midline theta
• hippocampal theta
• memory
• navigation
• neural oscillations
• virtual reality

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction, presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10150/663230

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.arizona.edu:10150/663230