Place Cell

Place cells are neurons in the hippocampus that fire selectively when an animal occupies a specific location in its environment, forming a spatial map. Current research focuses on understanding how these cells emerge, interact to encode complex spatial information (including higher-order relationships), and contribute to navigation and memory formation, often employing computational models like autoencoders, continuous attractor networks, and reinforcement learning algorithms. These studies aim to elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying spatial cognition and memory, with implications for improving artificial navigation systems and understanding neurological disorders affecting spatial memory.