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Brain Sciences
Special Issues
Neuropsychological Exploration of Spatial Cognition and Navigation
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Neuropsychological Exploration of Spatial Cognition and Navigation

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Neuropsychology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 21 November 2025 | Viewed by 1118

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Jose Manuel Cimadevilla

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Guest Editor
Department of Psychology and Health Research Center, Universidad de Almería, 04120 Almeria, Spain
Interests: spatial memory; virtual reality; hippocampus; gender differnces; aging
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Laura Piccardi

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Guest Editor
1. Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
2. San Raffaele Cassino Hospital, Cassino, FR, Italy
Interests: spatial cognition; individual differences; mental imagery; hemineglect; neurodegenerative disorders; typical ageing; anxiety disorders; post-traumatic stress disorder; neuroesthetics; executive functions; creativity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Raffaella Nori

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Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 5, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Interests: individual differences; navigational memory; topographical memory; environmental memory; witnessing and reasoning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Maria Kozhevnikov

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Guest Editor
1. Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
2. Martinos Canter for Biomedical Imaging, Harvard Medical School, and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
Interests: mental imagery; spatial navigation; individual differences; human–computer interaction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Sean Commins

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Guest Editor
Psychology Department, Maynooth University, W23 F2K8 Kildare, Ireland
Interests: spatial navigation; formation of long-term spatial memories

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Humans, along with many other species, interact with the environment in which they perform their actions. Understanding spatial relations between elements of an environment, including one’s own position in space, helps to construct a mental map of space. Such representations are crucial for survival. Three distinct conceptualizations of space can be considered: the space of the body, the space surrounding the body, and the space accessible through movement. The latter, known as navigational space, has traditionally garnered the attention of researchers, as spatial navigation is often used to assess spatial memory in various species.

Different and overlapping neural networks support these distinct spaces. Neuropsychological assessment of specific cognitive processes provides crucial insights into brain function and helps in detecting pathologies early on. Development, aging, sex, familiarity with the environment, job expertise, mental health, and individual differences in cognitive style are among the many factors that can influence our construction and use of space. Space is built up during early childhood, and the ability for spatial orientation declines with age, aiding in the early identification of cognitive problems such as dementia, especially Alzheimer’s Disease. Furthermore, sex also influences these skills, which can be enhanced through various activities, including physical exercise. Familiarity with the environment and job expertise are important factors in acquiring and maintaining spatial knowledge. Therefore, there is a high interest in studying specific populations. It is well-known that military pilots, taxi drivers, engineers, and air traffic controllers are particularly skilled at mentally representing the environment. These abilities become cognitive reserve and protective factors as people age. Consequently, research in this field encompasses the development of new tasks and their application across different populations and clinical conditions.

We are seeking empirical or theoretical manuscripts addressing the factors contributing to spatial cognition and navigation. Critical reviews are especially welcome.

Prof. Dr. Jose Manuel Cimadevilla
Dr. Laura Piccardi
Dr. Raffaella Nori
Dr. Maria Kozhevnikov
Prof. Dr. Sean Commins
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • spatial memory
  • neuropsychological
  • spatial navigation
  • cognitive disorder
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • spatial cognition
  • dementia
  • brain Function

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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18 pages, 1770 KiB  
Article
The Role of Physical Activity on Spatial and Temporal Cognitive Processing in Young Women
by Joaquín Castillo-Escamilla, María del Mar Salvador-Viñas and José Manuel Cimadevilla
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(5), 431; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15050431 - 23 Apr 2025
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Physical activity (PA) has many benefits for both physical and cognitive health. It has also been related to improvements in memory and executive functions. However, its impact on time estimation remains less explored. Time is a key component of episodic memory, which [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Physical activity (PA) has many benefits for both physical and cognitive health. It has also been related to improvements in memory and executive functions. However, its impact on time estimation remains less explored. Time is a key component of episodic memory, which also involves spatial components to give a full context to events. Given the clear evidence of the benefits of PA in spatial navigation and the anatomical overlap with temporal estimation through the hippocampus, the latter could be affected in a similar way. Therefore, this study aimed to check how PA can influence time processing and spatial memory. We wanted to check if PA influenced time and space with the same directionality. Methods: Forty-two (n = 42) female university students participated in this study, divided into a Sport (n = 25) or Sedentary (n = 17) Group depending on their participation in PA for a minimum of 3 h a week. They were addressed in two different cognitive capabilities. The first was time processing, measured by the Time Comparison Task, which controlled for several key aspects of time literature in its design. Moreover, we measured spatial navigation skills, using a well-proven virtual spatial navigation task, The Boxes Room. Accuracy and mean response times were registered per task. Results: Significant correlations were observed between spatial and temporal task performance. In addition, PA influenced spatial and time processing in a similar way, with the Sport Group outperforming the Sedentary Group in accuracy and response times for both tasks. Conclusions: These findings provide evidence that PA influences time processing similarly to its established effects on spatial memory, which could help developing sports programs that further enhance this skill. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neuropsychological Exploration of Spatial Cognition and Navigation)
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18 pages, 1576 KiB  
Article
Dual Assessment of Developmental Topographical Disorientation: Comparing Self-Reported Measures with Actual Navigational Performance
by Alessia Bonavita, Sofia Pepe, Raffaella Nori, Massimiliano Palmiero, Cecilia Guariglia and Laura Piccardi
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(3), 318; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15030318 - 18 Mar 2025
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: This study aimed to (i) evaluate the effectiveness of the Familiarity and Spatial Cognitive Style Scale (FSCS) and the short Computerized Ecological Navigational Battery (LBS) in predicting navigational performance by comparing self-reported scores with actual results; (ii) investigate the FSCS’s potential as [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: This study aimed to (i) evaluate the effectiveness of the Familiarity and Spatial Cognitive Style Scale (FSCS) and the short Computerized Ecological Navigational Battery (LBS) in predicting navigational performance by comparing self-reported scores with actual results; (ii) investigate the FSCS’s potential as a screening tool for Developmental Topographical Disorientation (DTD), which affects about 3% of youth, focusing on early detection; and (iii) examine gender differences in self-reported data versus real-world performance to understand how stereotypes affect self-assessment. Methods: The study involved 185 college students (125 female), aged 18–35 years, who completed the FSCS and performed navigation tasks using a new version of the LBS. Participants’ performances were analysed using MAD-based z-scores to identify potential DTD cases, with scores below the fifth percentile flagged for further investigation. The relationship between self-reported abilities and actual performance was assessed through correlation analyses and robust linear regressions. Results: The SOD subscale of FSCS emerged as a comprehensive predictor of navigation performance, correlating significantly with accuracy across multiple tasks. The study identified a 5.42% prevalence of DTD using FSCS criteria, aligning with previous research, while LBS identified 11.96% of participants with navigational difficulties. Gender differences were observed in Survey Knowledge and Landmark Ordering tasks, with males showing higher performances. Only two participants were flagged as DTD cases by both assessment methods, suggesting they may evaluate distinct aspects of navigational ability. Conclusions: The findings validate FSCS as an initial screening tool for DTD while highlighting the need for comprehensive assessment using multiple tools. The study suggests the existence of at least two distinct forms of DTD: one affecting navigational memory (detectable by both FSCS and LBS) and another impacting perceptual navigation aspects (more readily identified by LBS). These results emphasise the importance of developing a detailed DTD taxonomy and implementing personalised interventions based on specific navigational challenges. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neuropsychological Exploration of Spatial Cognition and Navigation)
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