Grid cell

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/grid-cell

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Who discovered Grid cell?2005
2. What is the primary brain region?Medial Entorhinal Cortex (MEC)
3. What is the characteristic firing pattern?Periodic hexagonal tessellation of space
4. What are grid cells and how do they help us find our way?Grid cells are special brain cells that fire in a repeating triangle pattern. They act like an internal GPS, giving the brain a map of space.
5. How do grid cells differ from place cells?Place cells fire only when you are in one specific spot. Grid cells fire at many spots, forming a hexagonal grid across the environment.

Medial Entorhinal Cortex (MEC): A critical brain area for spatial memory and navigation, containing grid cells.
Path Integration: The process of calculating one's current position based on movement vectors.
Cognitive Map: A mental representation of the spatial layout of an environment.
Tessellation: A pattern of shapes that fit together perfectly without any gaps or overlaps.