'Odometer neurons' encode distance traveled and elapsed time
Animals navigate by calculating their current position based on how long and how far they have traveled and a new study on treadmill-running rats reveals how: neurons called grid cells integrate information about time and distance to support memory and spatial navigation, even in the absence of visual landmarks. The findings, published November 4 in the journal Neuron, challenge currently held views of the role of grid cells in the brain.
Benjamin J. Kraus, Mark P. Brandon, Robert J. Robinson, Michael A. Connerney, Michael E. Hasselmo, Howard Eichenbaum. During Running in Place, Grid Cells Integrate Elapsed Time and Distance Run. Neuron, 2015; 88 (3): 578 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2015.09.031