Head direction cell

Okay kiddo, imagine that your body is like a car and your brain is the driver. The driver needs to know which way the car is headed, right? Well, in the brain there are special cells called head direction cells that help the driver (or brain) know which way the body is facing.

These cells work like a compass, telling the brain which way is north, south, east, and west. When you turn your head, these cells change their firing patterns to let the brain know that the body is now facing a new direction.

Now imagine you're playing hide-and-seek. You close your eyes and spin around a few times. When you open your eyes, you might feel dizzy or disoriented because your head direction cells are trying to figure out which way you're facing. But eventually they'll get it right and you'll be able to continue playing.

So, head direction cells are like little helpers in your brain that tell it which way your body is pointing, kind of like a compass.