Ensembles of neurons in the brain's hippocampus inform about future as well as past experiences
Friday, March 25, 2011 - 09:00
in Biology & Nature
When a mammal explores an unfamiliar environment, ensembles of place cells in the hippocampus fire individually, recording specific locations in a cognitive map that aid future spatial navigation of the area. Once the relationship between place cell activity and location has been established, the activity of the cells can be used to predict the animals location within its environment. Activity patterns in the ensembles are later replayed during rest and sleep, and neuroscientists believe this is important for consolidating the spatial memories of the new environment.