O’Keefe's theory of place cells

O’Keefe’s theory proposes that certain neurons in the hippocampus, called place cells, create a neural map of our environment. Each place cell becomes active when we are in or moving through a specific location, effectively encoding spatial information. This activity helps us navigate and remember places by forming an internal representation of our surroundings. The discovery of these cells revealed how the brain translates physical space into neural signals, enabling spatial memory and navigation in complex environments.