Rethinking retrosplenial cortex: Perspectives and predictions

The last decade has produced exciting new ideas about retrosplenial cortex (RSC) and its role in integrating diverse inputs. Here, we review the diversity in forms of spatial and directional tuning of RSC activity, temporal organization of RSC activity, and features of RSC interconnectivity with other brain structures. We find that RSC anatomy and dynamics are more consistent with roles in multiple sensorimotor and cognitive processes than with any isolated function. However, two more generalized categories of function may best characterize roles for RSC in complex cognitive processes: (1) shifting and relating perspectives for spatial cognition and (2) prediction and error correction for current sensory states with internal representations of the environment. Both functions likely take advantage of RSC's capacity to encode conjunctions among sensory, motor, and spatial mapping information streams. Together, these functions provide the scaffold for intelligent actions, such as navigation, perspective taking, interaction with others, and error detection.

Automated summary

Exciting new ideas about the role of the retrosplenial cortex (RSC) have emerged in the last decade, highlighting its diverse forms of spatial and directional tuning, temporal organization, and interconnectivity with other brain structures. The RSC is believed to play a role in multiple sensorimotor and cognitive processes, with a focus on spatial cognition, perspective taking, and error correction. These functions rely on the RSC's ability to integrate sensory, motor, and spatial mapping information streams.