Assessing Human Spatial Navigation in a Virtual Space and its Sensitivity to Exercise
January 26th, 2024
Here, we present a novel, brief, and active spatial navigation task that assesses both spatial navigation and episodic memory ability. Importantly, spatial navigation and episodic memory were associated with one another, and this task demonstrated sensitivity to exercise.
Our research at The Embodied Brain Lab examines the effects of mind-body movement practices like dance, yoga, and meditation on brain function and physiology. And specifically, we're looking at the concept of brain plasticity, also known as neuroplasticity, which is really how the body and other things in the environment affect the brain. Our research has shown that exercise and other physical activity practices like dance affect mental health, increasing positive affect, decreasing negative affect, and also enhancing social connection.
And we found this at the level of behavior, but we're also looking at how neural activity changes or neural oscillations change in the brain as well. Begin by downloading the necessary files for the Unity project. Download Unity Hub from the official website and install Unity version 5.3.1f1.
Locate and open the downloaded files as a project within the Unity environment. After creating the project, navigate to the File tab and select the Build and Run option to proceed. Navigate and select Spatial Navigation/scenes/Big City B Lures and Scenes and LaFin.
Choose the PC, Mac and Linux Standalone options. Then, click on the Build and Run button. Click the Graphics tab to adjust the screen resolution and the graphics quality.
Then, move to the Input tab to modify the game's control settings. Afterward, simply click on Play button to begin the spatial navigation task. To begin, use a measuring tape to measure the participant's head from inion to nasion to ensure the proper fitting of the EEG cap.
Place electrodes into the EEG cap and outfit the participant with the EEG cap, ensuring proper fitting and placement. Now, start the EEG software. Fill each electrode with electrode gel to ensure that impedance measurements are below 25 kiloohms and start the recording.
Recruit a member of the research team to watch the participant as the participant performs the spatial task. Send a trigger pulse to the EEG recording system at the start and end of the encoding, remembering an episodic memory phase. To begin, equip the participant with a mobile electroencephalography device.
Ensure the participant is seated comfortably with their feet on the floor. Present on-screen instructions prompting participants to visit landmarks and recall paths in a cityscape. Then, instruct the participant to use the mouse and left-click to initiate the task.
Confirm that the participant comprehends the requirement to navigate the environment using the W, A, S and D keys on their keyboard. Ensure the participant is aware that they can utilize the computer mouse to adjust the subject's point of view simulating head movement. Ask the participant to follow a green path with green arrows to visit the first landmarks.
Then, instruct the participant to walk through the green diamond at that location. After collecting the green diamond, ask the participant to follow the path to visit the next landmark. Once the participant arrives at the second landmark, instruct them to walk through the green diamond at that location.
In the remembering phase, instruct the participant to revisit each landmark, then use the mouse and left-click on top of Begin. Ask the participant to visit the first landmark that they visited during the encoding phase and deliver a unique item to the first landmark. Once the participant delivers the item, navigate to the second landmark and deliver the next unique item.
Instruct the participant to use the mouse to left-click on top of Begin. Recall the landmarks they visited and the items they delivered in the exact order as instructed earlier in the remembering phase. Instruct the participant to read the final prompt to confirm the completion of the task and the submission of the data.
Once the task is completed, locate the results. csvfile in the applications directory. Use the raw data to calculate the appropriate scores, including start time, end time, average seek duration, place score, item score, order score, association score, and episodic memory score.
Initial pre-intervention tests revealed an average completion time of 318.69 seconds and an average seek time of 82.88 seconds for the five sites reflecting spatial navigation ability. Furthermore, participant successfully encoded various aspects of the virtual experience indicative of their episodic memory capacity, Both total time and average seek time displayed significant correlations with the episodic memory score, suggesting a connection between spatial navigation and episodic memory. Preliminary findings showed a significant correlation between age and spatial navigation ability, with older age correlating with decreased spatial navigation skills.
A significant association was observed between the number of cycling classes, average seek duration, and total seek time.
Overview
This study introduces a novel spatial navigation task that evaluates spatial navigation and episodic memory abilities. The findings indicate a significant correlation between these cognitive functions and highlight the task's sensitivity to exercise.
Key Study Components
Area of Science
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Behavioral Research
Background
- Research focuses on the interplay between physical activity and cognitive functions.
- Neuroplasticity is a key concept, emphasizing how the environment and activities influence brain function.
- Previous studies have linked exercise to improvements in mental health and cognitive performance.
- Understanding spatial navigation and memory is crucial for insights into cognitive aging.
Purpose of Study
- To develop a brief and active task for assessing spatial navigation and episodic memory.
- To explore the relationship between spatial navigation abilities and episodic memory performance.
- To investigate the impact of exercise on cognitive functions.
Methods Used
- Participants engaged in a virtual spatial navigation task.
- Electroencephalography (EEG) was used to monitor neural activity during the task.
- Data collection included measuring completion times and seek durations.
- Statistical analyses were performed to assess correlations between navigation and memory scores.
Main Results
- Significant correlations were found between spatial navigation performance and episodic memory scores.
- Older participants exhibited decreased spatial navigation abilities.
- Exercise frequency was positively associated with navigation performance.
- Initial tests indicated an average completion time of 318.69 seconds for the task.
Conclusions
- The study successfully demonstrates a link between spatial navigation and episodic memory.
- Findings suggest that physical activity may enhance cognitive functions related to navigation and memory.
- Further research is needed to explore the implications of these findings for cognitive aging.
Frequently Asked Questions
Executive Industry Relevance
Quantitative assessment of human spatial navigation and episodic memory using a virtual environment provides a scalable, reproducible platform for early-stage CNS target validation. This approach enables objective measurement of hippocampal-dependent behaviors, supporting predictive confidence in translational neuroscience and neurodegeneration portfolios. Sensitivity to exercise interventions further positions the method for mechanistic de-risking and longitudinal biomarker development.
Strategic Applications in Biopharma R&D
Early Discovery & Target Validation
- Enables interrogation of hippocampal function through quantifiable behavioral outputs.
- Supports biological de-risking by linking navigation performance to neural activity and age-related decline.
- Facilitates predictive confidence in CNS target engagement and mechanism-of-action studies.
Screening & Assay Development
- Provides a validated, standardized virtual task for reproducible cognitive phenotyping.
- Generates quantitative metrics (completion time, seek duration, memory scores) for assay development.
- Enables scalable screening of interventions affecting spatial memory and navigation.
Translational & Preclinical Research
- Aligns behavioral readouts with disease-relevant endpoints for neurodegeneration models.
- Supports continuity from discovery through preclinical validation of cognitive biomarkers.
- Enables risk-adjusted advancement of exercise and neuroplasticity-modulating interventions.
Pipeline & Workflow Integration
This virtual navigation and memory assessment bridges early discovery, lead identification, and preclinical validation in CNS research pipelines.
- Discovery Biology: Objectively tests hypotheses about hippocampal function and neuroplasticity.
- Screening: Delivers reproducible, quantitative behavioral outputs for intervention evaluation.
- Analytics: Provides statistical measures (e.g., seek time, memory scores) for cross-condition comparison.
- Translational Research: Connects human behavioral phenotypes to preclinical disease models and biomarker strategies.
- Enterprise Reuse: Offers a reusable digital platform for longitudinal and cross-cohort studies.
Operational & Enterprise Impact
- Scientific Value: Increases predictive confidence in CNS target validation and mechanistic studies.
- Operational Value: Standardizes cognitive assessment for reproducibility and scalability across studies.
- Strategic Value: Informs go/no-go decisions for neurodegeneration and neuroplasticity programs.
- Portfolio Impact: Enables risk-adjusted prioritization of cognitive and exercise-based interventions.
Implementation Considerations
- Requires expertise in cognitive neuroscience and digital behavioral assay design.
- Needs access to virtual environment platforms and EEG or behavioral analytics infrastructure.
- Demands cross-team standardization of task parameters and data analysis pipelines.
- Adaptable to diverse populations and longitudinal study designs.
- Dependent on participant compliance and digital literacy for optimal data quality.
Biopharma FAQs
Chapters in this video
0:00
Introduction
0:46
Setting Up Gameplay to Perform a Spatial Navigation Task
1:49
Recording Brain Activity with Electroencephalography (EEG) During the Spatial Navigation Task
2:39
Performing a Virtual Spatial Navigation Task to Assess Spatial Learning and Memory
