Place Cells is an important cell type in the neurobiology of neurodegenerative diseases. This page provides detailed information about its structure, function, and role in disease processes.
Place Cells is an important cell type in the neurobiology of neurodegenerative diseases. This page provides detailed information about its structure, function, and role in disease processes.
Overview
Place cells are hippocampal pyramidal [neurons](/entities/neurons) that fire when an animal occupies specific spatial locations in its environment. Discovered by John O'Keefe in 1971, they form the neural basis for cognitive maps and spatial memory. [@moser2008]
Deep brain stimulation: Hippocampal/entorhinal targets under investigation
Pharmacological Approaches
Cholinergic agents: [Acetylcholine](/entities/acetylcholine) modulates place cell plasticity
[NMDA receptor](/entities/nmda-receptor) modulators: Investigational for enhancing plasticity
Anti-amyloid therapies: May protect hippocampal function
Key Publications
[O'Keefe & Dostrovsky, The hippocampus as a spatial map (1971)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/5124915/)
[Moser et al., Place cells, grid cells, and memory (2015)](https://doi.org/10.1101/018703)
3 [Gylys et al., Synaptic changes in Alzheimer's disease (2003)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12614682/)
[Palop et al., Aberrant excitatory network activity (2013)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2013.03.038)
Background
The study of Place Cells has evolved significantly over the past decades. Research in this area has revealed important insights into the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration and continues to drive therapeutic development.
Historical context and key discoveries in this field have shaped our current understanding and will continue to guide future research directions.