Oscillations Go the Distance: Low-Frequency Human Hippocampal Oscillations Code Spatial Distance in the Absence of Sensory Cues during Teleportation

Low-frequency (delta/theta band) hippocampal neural oscillations play prominent roles in computational models of spatial navigation, but their exact function remains unknown. Some theories propose they are primarily generated in response to sensorimotor processing, while others suggest a role in memory-related processing. We directly recorded hippocampal EEG activity in patients undergoing seizure monitoring while they explored a virtual environment containing teleporters. Critically, this manipulation allowed patients to experience movement through space in the absence of visual and self-motion cues. The prevalence and duration of low-frequency hippocampal oscillations were unchanged by this manipulation, indicating that sensorimotor processing was not required to elicit them during navigation. Furthermore, the frequency-wise pattern of oscillation prevalence during teleportation contained spatial information capable of classifying the distance teleported. These results demonstrate that movement-related sensory information is not required to drive spatially informative low-frequency hippocampal oscillations during navigation and suggest a specific function in memory-related spatial updating. •Novel paradigm that intermittently removes all sensory cues during navigation•Hippocampal low-frequency oscillations persist without sensorimotor processing•Low-frequency oscillations can discriminate short- and long-distance displacement•More spatial updating is associated with more persistent low-frequency oscillations Vass et al. show that sensorimotor processing is not required to drive human hippocampal low-frequency oscillations during navigation. When deprived of visual and idiothetic cues, these oscillations still carry important memory-related signals that may support spatial updating of position.