How Human Single-Neuron Recordings Can Help Us Understand Cognition: Insights from Memory Studies

Understanding human cognition is a key goal of contemporary neuroscience. Due to the complexity of the human brain, animal studies and noninvasive techniques, however valuable, are incapable of providing us with a full understanding of human cognition. In the light of existing cognitive theories, we describe findings obtained thanks to human single-neuron recordings, including the discovery of concept cells and novelty-dependent cells, or activity patterns behind working memory, such as persistent activity. We propose future directions for studies using human single-neuron recordings and we discuss possible opportunities of investigating pathological brain.

Automated summary

Understanding human cognition is a key goal of contemporary neuroscience. Animal studies and noninvasive techniques have limitations in providing a full understanding of human cognition due to the complexity of the human brain. Human single-neuron recordings have revealed concept cells, novelty-dependent cells, and activity patterns behind working memory like persistent activity, offering insights for future research and opportunities in investigating pathological brain conditions.