The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine to three scientists for their work in identifying brain cells that work as a positioning system.  John O’Keefe, May-Britt Moser, and Edvard Moser were jointly awarded the prestigious prize on Oct. 6.  Their research identifies what is essentially a GPS system for the human brain, orienting people in space and allowing for higher cognitive functioning.

According to ABC News, O’Keefe is an American scientist affiliated with University College London.  The work that led to his portion of the award was completed in 1971, when he found that a certain type of nerve cell was always activated when a rat was at a certain place in a room.  O’Keefe demonstrated that these “place cells” were building up a map of the environment, not just registering visual input.

Moser and Moser, a married couple from Norway, are affiliated with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim.  Their work came out in 2005, identifying a “grid cell” that generates a coordinate system for precise positioning and path-finding.  Together, these two types of cells allow humans to find their way around and, without them, the ability to survive and thrive would be impaired.

Beyond the discoveries’ implications in spatial awareness and sense of direction, CNNreports that there may be implications for Alzheimer’s research.  The parts of the brain where the place and grid cells are located – the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex – often break down early in Alzheimer’s patients.  With the cells’ roles in higher cognitive functioning, further research into these brain components may help fight Alzheimer’s.