One of two memory systems can be used to navigate in a new environment. Hippocampus-dependent spatial strategy consists of creating a cognitive map of an environment and caudate nucleus-dependent response strategy consists of memorizing a rigid sequence of turns. Spontaneous use of the response strategy is associated with greater activity and grey matter within the caudate nucleus while the spatial strategy is associated with greater activity and grey matter in the hippocampus. The caudate nucleus is involved in executive functions such as working memory, cognitive control and certain aspects of attention such as attentional disengaging. This study therefore aimed to investigate whether response learners would display better performance on tests of executive and attention functioning compared to spatial learners. Fifty participants completed the 4/8 virtual maze to assess navigational strategy, the forward and backward visual digit span and the Attention Network Test - Revised to assess both attention disengagement and cognitive control. Results revealed that response learners showed significantly higher working memory capacity, more efficient attention disengagement and better cognitive control. Results suggest that response learners, who putatively display more grey matter and activity in the caudate nucleus, are associated with better working memory span, cognitive control and attentional disengagement.

中文翻译：

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在依赖尾状核的响应策略中增加侧翼任务和前指跨度性能。

可以使用两个内存系统之一在新环境中进行导航。海马依赖的空间策略包括创建环境的认知图，尾状核依赖的响应策略包括记忆严格的转弯序列。自发使用反应策略与尾状核内更大的活动和灰质有关，而空间策略与海马体更大的活动和灰质相关。尾状核参与执行功能，例如工作记忆，认知控制和注意力的某些方面，例如注意力分离。因此，本研究旨在调查与空间学习者相比，反应学习者在执行和注意力功能测试中是否表现出更好的表现。五十名参与者完成了4/8虚拟迷宫，以评估导航策略，前向和后向视觉手指跨度以及注意力网络测试-已修订，以评估注意力脱离和认知控制。结果显示，反应学习者显示出显着更高的工作记忆能力，更有效的注意力分离和更好的认知控制。结果表明，认为在尾状核中显示更多灰质和活动的反应学习者与更好的工作记忆跨度，认知控制和注意力脱离有关。结果显示，反应学习者显示出明显更高的工作记忆能力，更有效的注意力分离和更好的认知控制。结果表明，认为在尾状核中显示更多灰质和活动的反应学习者与更好的工作记忆跨度，认知控制和注意力脱离有关。结果显示，反应学习者显示出明显更高的工作记忆能力，更有效的注意力分离和更好的认知控制。结果表明，认为在尾状核中显示更多灰质和活动的反应学习者与更好的工作记忆跨度，认知控制和注意力脱离有关。