Brain comes hard-wired with working navigational neurons, rat study suggests

ScienceDaily (2010-06-17) -- Are we born with an innate sense of direction, or is it learned? Research from Norway suggests that the brain comes hard-wired with working navigational neurons. While these neurons -- head direction cells, place cells and grid cells -- mature over time, they appear to function in rodents as soon as they make their first exploratory steps outside the nest.