Spatial coordinate systems within the parietal cortex

This thesis used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the brain regions that underpin our ability to navigate. Two different regions, area PFm within the posterior parietal cortex and a region of the retrosplenial cortex, were activated when participants navigated through two simple virtual environments. Importantly, this research demonstrated that the activity of these regions was separated during distinct stages of the navigation. This research provided insights into the potential and different functional roles these two regions play during navigation.