Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Role of Hippocampus in Memory

Role of Hippocampus in Memory

The hippocampus, a critical brain structure, plays an essential role in memory processing, particularly in the formation and retrieval of memory. This small, seahorse-shaped region is located within the medial temporal lobe, with one hippocampus in each brain hemisphere. Experimental studies involving lesions in the hippocampi of rats have demonstrated significant impairments in tasks such as object recognition and maze navigation, indicating the hippocampus involvement in both recognition and...

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex....

Association Areas of the Cortex

Association Areas of the Cortex

Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at...

Somatosensation

Somatosensation

The somatosensory system relays sensory information from the skin, mucous membranes, limbs, and joints. Somatosensation is more familiarly known as the sense of touch. A typical somatosensory pathway includes three types of long neurons: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary neurons have cell bodies located near the spinal cord in groups of neurons called dorsal root ganglia. The sensory neurons of ganglia innervate designated areas of skin called dermatomes.

Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System

Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System

The limbic system, often called the "emotional brain," is a complex set of structures located deep within the brain. The intricate network of the limbic system supports a wide range of psychological functions, from emotional regulation to memory formation and sensory processing. This functional brain region encompasses specific parts of the diencephalon and the cerebrum, integrating the higher mental functions of the cerebral cortex with the primitive emotional responses of the deep brain...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Brivaracetam as viable monotherapy option for focal and generalized epilepsy.

Epilepsy & behavior : E&B·2026

Same author

When seizure counts are not seizures: Measurement error and its implications for epilepsy management and driving policy.

Epilepsia·2026

Same author

Direct cortical stimulation-evoked symptoms in the human temporal pole: a cohort study.

Clinical neurophysiology practice·2026

Same author

Comparison of volume- and surface-based magnetic resonance imaging morphometry algorithms in the detection of focal cortical dysplasia.

Epilepsia·2026

Same author

Seminars in epileptology: Holistic management of epilepsy in adults with intellectual development disorders.

Epileptic disorders : international epilepsy journal with videotape·2026

Same author

Retrospective observational study of treatment and referral pathways of patients with epilepsy in Germany.

Seizure·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 28, 2025

Author Spotlight: Investigating the Effects of Mind-Body-Movement Practices on Brain Function

Author Spotlight: Investigating the Effects of Mind-Body-Movement Practices on Brain Function

Published on: January 26, 2024

A neural code for egocentric spatial maps in the human medial temporal lobe.

Lukas Kunz¹, Armin Brandt², Peter C Reinacher³

¹Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Epilepsy Center, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.

|July 15, 2021

Summary

Researchers identified egocentric bearing cells in the human brain using single-neuron recordings during virtual navigation. These cells encode self-centered spatial information and are crucial for both navigation and memory recall.

Keywords:

allocentric egocentric electrophysiology hippocampus human single-neuron recording memory navigation parahippocampal cortex sense of direction

More Related Videos

Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain

Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain

Published on: October 13, 2023

Mapping Cortical Dynamics Using Simultaneous MEG/EEG and Anatomically-constrained Minimum-norm Estimates: an Auditory Attention Example

Mapping Cortical Dynamics Using Simultaneous MEG/EEG and Anatomically-constrained Minimum-norm Estimates: an Auditory Attention Example

Published on: October 24, 2012

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 28, 2025

Author Spotlight: Investigating the Effects of Mind-Body-Movement Practices on Brain Function

Author Spotlight: Investigating the Effects of Mind-Body-Movement Practices on Brain Function

Published on: January 26, 2024

Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain

Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain

Published on: October 13, 2023

Mapping Cortical Dynamics Using Simultaneous MEG/EEG and Anatomically-constrained Minimum-norm Estimates: an Auditory Attention Example

Mapping Cortical Dynamics Using Simultaneous MEG/EEG and Anatomically-constrained Minimum-norm Estimates: an Auditory Attention Example

Published on: October 24, 2012

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Science
Spatial Cognition

Background:

Spatial navigation and memory depend on neural systems encoding allocentric (world-referenced) and egocentric (self-centered) information.
While allocentric representations (place, grid, head-direction cells) are well-studied, the neural basis of egocentric representations is less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify neurons encoding egocentric spatial maps in the human brain.
To investigate the role of these neurons in spatial navigation and memory.

Main Methods:

Human single-neuron recordings during virtual spatial navigation tasks.
Analysis of neuronal activity in relation to reference points and distances within the virtual environment.

Main Results:

Identification of egocentric bearing cells in the human parahippocampal cortex.
These cells represent egocentric bearings and distances toward environmental reference points.
Neuronal activity increased during spatial and episodic memory recall.

Conclusions:

Egocentric bearing cells provide a neural code for self-centered spatial representations in humans.
These cells are vital for spatial navigation and contribute to human memory functions.