The Tolman-Eichenbaum Machine: Unifying Space and Relational Memory through Generalization in the Hippocampal Formation

The hippocampal-entorhinal system is important for spatial and relational memory tasks. We formally link these domains, provide a mechanistic understanding of the hippocampal role in generalization, and offer unifying principles underlying many entorhinal and hippocampal cell types. We propose medial entorhinal cells form a basis describing structural knowledge, and hippocampal cells link this basis with sensory representations. Adopting these principles, we introduce the Tolman-Eichenbaum machine (TEM). After learning, TEM entorhinal cells display diverse properties resembling apparently bespoke spatial responses, such as grid, band, border, and object-vector cells. TEM hippocampal cells include place and…

• JS
  James S. McDonnell Foundation

  Awards: JSMF220020372, 202805/Z/16/Z
• WT
  Wellcome Trust

  Awards: 104765/Z/14/Z, 203139/Z/16/Z, 203147/Z/16/Z, 214314/Z/18/Z, 219525/Z/19/Z
• MR
  Medical Research Council
• EA
  Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
• ER
  European Research Council

  Award: 212281/z/18/z