Waterloo research examines what makes a memory

Left turn or right? Past the white house, or just before it?

We use many clues to get around, and our brains leave a mental crumb trail by activating brain cells — or neurons — known as place cells.

Exactly how the process works remains a puzzle that Matthijs van der Meer is working to solve in laboratories at the University of Waterloo. Using improved technology, Dr. van der Meer and colleagues Anoopum Gupta, David Touretzky and A. David Redish have been able to look even closer at place-cell activity in rats going through a maze.

For full article:  Waterloo Stories | July 20, 2012