‘Speed cells’ found in rats’ brains

Specialized nerve cells fire faster when feet are fleet

ON THE MOVE  Speed cells’ activity (colored lines) change with rats’ swiftness (gray lines) as the animals move around an enclosure searching for chocolate crumbs as seen in this graph charting the activity of seven different neurons. 

E. Kropff et al/Nature 2015

From a saunter to a sprint, specialized brain cells keep track of a rat’s swiftness, scientists report July 15 in Nature.