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How are head-direction cells different from place cells?

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Patient H.M. and short-term memory loss explained — hippocampus Learn about Henry Molaison (better known as “patient H.M.”), whose short-term memory loss following a lobotomy helped researchers to understand how brain structures are related to brain function.

Place cells and head-direction cells are distinct types of neurons that contribute to spatial navigation and memory by providing different types of environmental information.1

Place cells are primarily located in the hippocampus. They function by increasing their firing rate when an animal enters a specific, preferred location within an environment, known as a place field. Collectively, these cells map an animal's current location.1
Head-direction cells provide information regarding the animal's current heading or orientation. Crucially, their activity is independent of the animal's specific location. These cells fire rapidly whenever the animal faces a specific, preferred direction and are found in various areas both within and outside the hippocampal formation, such as the presubiculum, entorhinal cortex, and retrosplenial cortex.1

Together, these cells allow the brain to represent both where an animal is and which way it is facing, which is essential for spatial cognition and planning future behavior.1