Fig. 9. Schematic for the cognitive map of the MEC during spatial learning in a novel environment.

The good performers have successful synaptic plasticity and a spatially consistent MEC map and, therefore, are able to successfully learn the environment. Poor performers have impaired synaptic plasticity (likely due to the hyper-activity in the MEC) and a spatially inconsistent MEC map and, therefore, are unable learn the environment. Disrupting MEC map consistency in good performers leads to reduced spatial navigation performance.