Self-organizing internal representations of space

Where in the brain is outside space represented? In the mammalian brain, quite clearly it is represented multiple times, and with some differences from species to species. A remarkable representation, however, is that by grid cells, discovered in 2005 in rodents, in the medial entorhinal cortex. Subsequently conjunctive grid-by-head-direction cells were also found, and a similar spatial representation has been observed in bats. This contribution briefly reviews its main features, and argues that it is likely a representation that self-organizes. If so, it is expected that its main properties will reflect those of the environment where the animal is raised. Self-organizing Internal Representations of Space (PDF Download Available). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280024332_Self-organizing_Internal_Representations_of_Space [accessed Apr 26, 2017].