PROJECT SUMMARY
Abstract cognition is defined as the ability to process information not observed in the physical world, such as
time, number, and social relationships. Evolutionary theories posit that selective pressures shaped the
mammalian brain to manage increasingly abstract representations by co-opting cortical regions initially required
for more concrete cognitive processes — such as spatial cognition — to also support more complex processes
— such as social cognition. Research focused on similarities across spatial and social cognition is growing, yet
few have investigated the neural bases of these similarities and whether they are similar mechanistically. The
posterior parietal cortex (PPC) is implicated in both spatial and social cognition, but there are open questions
about 1) how the PPC supports spatial and social cognition, and 2) whether and how the PPC is involved in the
integration of information across domains. This proposal exploits an underutilized approach in cognitive
neuroscience — the ability to study higher cognition using the powerful tools available in rodents. Indeed, as
social animals and expert navigators, rats provide an ideal model to expand our knowledge of PPC function and
its role in spatial and social cognition. The candidate, Taylor Wise, proposes to build on prior research in the
sponsor’s lab by comparing the PPC’s role in spatial cognition with its role in social cognition. Completed
dissertation work examined PPC function in spatial information processing and sociality through permanent
(neurotoxic) and transient (chemogenetic) inactivation techniques. Rats with compromised PPC function showed
spared performance on tasks using simple spatial environments and on tests of social exploration, but showed
modest deficits in recognizing complex, context-dependent spatial configurations. This suggests the PPC is
selectively recruited in tasks that require processing of information at a higher level of abstraction. Planned
dissertation work will shed light on the PPC’s role in spatial and social information processing using a novel
behavioral paradigm and cutting-edge technologies for manipulating PPC function. In her resubmission, Taylor
provides new data demonstrating rats ability to discriminate spatial distances, a critical piece of her dissertation.
Taylor will also receive training in advanced statistics and computation in the F99 phase, paving the way for
further training in her K00. This proposal includes a thorough plan for finding a postdoctoral mentor that shares
an interest in higher-order cognition, which will help to refine Taylor’s current graduate work. One avenue for
postdoctoral research is to identify primate models, possibly marmosets, that are appropriate for neural
manipulation of social cognition, and can build upon the Taylor’s rodent expertise. Under the guidance of the
sponsor and scientific advisory committee, this training plan will enhance Taylor’s current skills and identify a
postdoctoral appointment best prepared to propel her into an independent career in comparative behavioral
neuroscience at an academic research institution.