Intrinsic cellular persistent firing sustains hippocampal spatial representations during working memory.

Hippocampal place cells in mice preserve spatial information during spatial working memory via intrinsic persistent firing, supported by TRPC4 ion channels.

• Why it matters: The field often treats neurons as input-output units driven only by synaptic input, leaving unclear how working-memory representations are maintained in vivo.
• What they did: The authors combined in vitro and in vivo recordings with molecular manipulation in mice to test whether intrinsic mechanisms sustain persistent firing during spatial working memory, implicating TRPC4.
• The result: Persistent firing is linked to maintaining immediate spatial representations rather than working-memory content, suggesting a role for intrinsic cellular activity in guiding behavior.

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