Unlocking the Secrets of the Brain’s “Internal Compass” — Recent research sheds light |
To understand how visual information impacts the brain’s internal compass, the researchers exposed mice to a disorienting virtual world while recording the brain’s neural activity. The team recorded the brain’s internal compass with unprecedented precision using the latest advances in neuronal recording technology.
This ability to accurately decode the animal’s internal head direction allowed the researchers to explore how the Head-Direction cells, which make up the brain’s internal compass, support the brain’s ability to re-orient itself in changing surroundings. Specifically, the research team identified a phenomenon they term ‘network gain’ that allowed the brain’s internal compass to reorient after the mice were disoriented.
Although the animals in this study were exposed to unnatural visual experiences, the authors argue that such scenarios are already relevant to the modern human experience, especially with the rapid spread of virtual reality technology. These findings “may eventually explain how virtual reality systems can easily take control over our sense of orientation,” adds Ajabi.
The results inspired the research team to develop new models to better understand the underlying mechanisms. “This work is a beautiful example of how experimental and computational approaches together can advance our understanding of brain activity that drives behavior,” says co-author Xue-Xin Wei, a computational neuroscientist and an Assistant Professor at The University of Texas at Austin.disease.
Reference: “Population dynamics of head-direction neurons during drift and reorientation” by Zaki Ajabi, Alexandra T. Keinath, Xue-Xin Wei, and Mark P. Brandon, 22 March 2023,
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