Subicular neurons encode concave and convex geometries. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38448584/)

These scientists studied how animals understand and navigate through complex environments with different shapes like corners and curves. They focused on a part of the brain called the dorsal subiculum in mice. They used a special technique called calcium imaging to watch how certain neurons in the subiculum reacted when the mice encountered corners and curved areas in their environment.

They found that there are specific neurons in the subiculum that become active when the mice encounter corners, either concave (curving inward) or convex (curving outward). These corner cells in the subiculum help the mice understand the shape and layout of their surroundings. The scientists also discovered that there are separate neurons that respond to the boundaries of the environment, helping the mice distinguish between corners and edges.

Overall, this study showed that the subiculum in the brain contains important information that helps animals understand the geometry of their environment, like corners and curves, which is crucial for successful navigation.

Sun Y., Nitz DA., Xu X., Giocomo LM. Subicular neurons encode concave and convex geometries. Nature. 2024 Mar 6. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07139-z.