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Persistent neural activity in head direction cellsMany neurons throughout the rat limbic system discharge in relation to the animal's directional heading with respect to its environment. These so-called head direction (HD) cells exhibit characteristics of persistent neural activity. This article summarizes where HD cells are found, their major properties, and some of the important experiments that have been conducted to elucidate how this signal is generated. The number of HD and angular head velocity cells was estimated for several brain areas involved in the generation of the HD signal, including the postsubiculum, anterior dorsal thalamus, lateral mammillary nuclei and dorsal tegmental nucleus. The HD cell signal has many features in common with what is known about how neural integration is accomplished in the oculomotor system. The nature of the HD cell signal makes it an attractive candidate for using neural network models to elucidate the signal's underlying mechanisms. The conditions that any network model must satisfy in order to accurately represent how the nervous system generates this signal are highlighted and areas where key information is missing are discussed.
Document ID
20040087484
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Taube, Jeffrey S.
(Dartmouth College 6207 Moore Hall, Hanover, NH 03755, United States)
Bassett, Joshua P.
Oman, C. M.
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
November 1, 2003
Publication Information
Publication: Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)
Volume: 13
Issue: 11
ISSN: 1047-3211
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: MH48924
CONTRACT_GRANT: MH01286
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
Review
Non-NASA Center
NASA Discipline Neuroscience
NASA Program Biomedical Research and Countermeasures
Review, Tutorial

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