Give the humble neuron its due. Although neuroscientists often view single nerve cells as bit players in mental life, new evidence indicates that some star on their own in recognizing specific people or objects.
Far from working as simple switches or relays in a large neural ensemble, each of these critically situated cells assists in translating familiar sights into lasting memories, proposes a team led by neurosurgeon Itzhak Fried of the University of California, Los Angeles.
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