Scientists Discover Concept Cells for "Nest" in the Mouse Brain

A team of researchers led by Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) neurobiologist Joe Z. Tsien, PhD, report they have identified brain cells in mice that are involved in the encoding of the concept of “nest” or “bed.” The discovery, published in this week’s early edition of National Proceedings of Academy of Sciences, provides crucial insight into how the brain generates concepts and abstract knowledge from daily experiences.