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Science 5 May 2006:
Vol. 312. no. 5774, p. 653
DOI: 10.1126/science.312.5774.653l
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Spatial navigation depends on several brain regions that interface with the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC), whose layer II cells express an environment-independent, gridlike coordinate system. The interaction of these grid cells with other cell types in the enthorhinal cortex is not well understood. Sargolini et al. (p. 758; see the Perspective by Loewenstein) analyzed the firing properties of neurons from different layers in the most posterior portion of the medial entorhinal cortex in rats that explored a square arena. The neurons of layer II were predominately grid cells, but in deeper layers, the grid cells commingled with head-direction cells. Some cells in the deep layers signal a conjunction of both head direction and spatial grid information. Cell activity in all layers was modulated by running speed.




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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)