Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40396463›Full record

ArticleeLife2025

Spatial periodicity in grid cell firing is explained by a neural sequence code of 2-D trajectories.

Rebecca Rg, Giorgio A Ascoli, Nate M Sutton, Holger Dannenberg

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in eLife, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. The Contribution of Spatially Tuned Brain Cells to Human Navigation Performance.KN - journal of cartography and geographic information · 2026
    Review
  3. Hippocampome.org, a resource for subicular neuron types and beyond.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Rebecca RgDepartment of Mathematical Sciences, George Mason University, Fairfax, United States.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7700-4312
Giorgio A AscoliDepartment of Bioengineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, United States.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0964-676X
Nate M SuttonDepartment of Bioengineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, United States.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4424-3886
Holger DannenbergDepartment of Bioengineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, United States.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0340-0128

Funding

Generation and Description of Neuronal Morphology and ConnectivityR01NS039600 · NINDS · GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY · PI ASCOLI, GIORGIO A · 1999 to 2024
$6.9M
The Role of Sensory Inputs and Cholinergic Modulation for the Coding of Location and Movement Speed in the Entorhinal CortexR00NS116129 · NINDS · GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY · PI DANNENBERG, HOLGER · 2022 to 2024
$1.1M
National Science Foundation 2424326NIH HHS R00NS116129NIH HHS R01NS39600NINDS NIH HHS R00 NS116129NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS039600
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Spatial periodicity in grid cell firing has been interpreted as a neural metric for space providing animals with a coordinate system in navigating physical and mental spaces. However, the specific computational problem being solved by grid cells has remained elusive. Here, we provide mathematical proof that spatial periodicity in grid cell firing is the only possible solution to a neural sequence code of 2-D trajectories and that the hexagonal firing pattern of grid cells is the most parsimonious solution to such a sequence code. We thereby provide a likely teleological cause for the existence of grid cells and reveal the underlying nature of the global geometric organization in grid maps as a direct consequence of a simple local sequence code. A sequence code by grid cells provides intuitive explanations for many previously puzzling experimental observations and may transform our thinking about grid cells.

Indexed as

Action PotentialsGrid CellsModels, NeurologicalPeriodicityAnimalsentorhinal cortexgrid cellsneural sequencesneurosciencenonepath integrationtrajectory code

Identifiers

PMID40396463
PMCPMC12094701

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.