The Map in the Brain: Grid Cells May Help Us Navigate

摘要

A newfound class of neurons enables the brain to perform complex spatial navigation—and may even help form memories. If you're in an unfamiliar city and trying to locate the convention center for yet another conference, a map prepared by the local Visitor's Bureau can come in handy. It's likely to incorporate a navigational aid: an overlaid square grid, often with rows labeled with letters of the alphabet and columns labeled with numbers. An index might tell you that your hotel is in the A2 square,and the convention center can be found in Q22.