Neuroscience shows how the brain simulates the future

Dr Joao Pinelo Silva, Assistant Professor of Architecture at the College of Engineering at the University of Bahrain, hold a Ph.D. in Architecture at the Bartlett School of Graduate Studies at University College London, U.K. and a Master degree in Built Environment Evaluation for Sustainability from U.K. Dr Silva is an expert in Space Syntax.

His main area of research interest is the spatial behavior of people in the built environment to develop a better understanding of the implications of design on the use of buildings, institutions, and cities. “My research interest has steered me to develop practical software tools to assist with measuring and analyzing behavior within spatial frameworks.”, He stressed. These tools facilitate and standardize the gathering of data in a way as to increase the base of evidence and make this process simpler, more efficient, and more affordable, which might significantly improve the efficiency of the design process.

A team of specialists in the fields of neuroscience and architecture, has just published a paper in the prestigious academic journal Nature Communications, titled “Hippocampal and prefrontal processing of network topology to simulate the future” addresses the Spatial cognition concerns the processes of acquisition and utilization of information regarding spatial environments, such as buildings or cities. Nevertheless, it reports advancements on the way these processes take place at the level of the brain function.

The study is considered important because it reveals critical insights into how the hippocampus and the pre-frontal cortex may operate together during goal-oriented navigation through a city. The findings might give architects a better understanding of how our brains simulate the future when navigating through cities, and influence the way these are developed.