Single neurons act as a memory buffer for space
The ability of the brain to briefly retain information, in processes ranging from sensory perception to complex cognition, is believed to be supported by persistent neural firing. Historically, such firing has been attributed to recurrent synaptic networks, in which neural activity reverberates. Here, we present in vivo evidence challenging this view, demonstrating that individual neurons can sustain persistent firing in behaving mice. Disruption of this capability in hippocampal neurons via silencing of TRPC4 channels significantly and selectively reduces persistent firing in vivo, impairs the maintenance of spatial representations, and compromises spatial working memory performance. These findings redefine neurons as active contributors to information retention beyond their conventional role as passive input-output units, potentially reshaping our general understanding of brain computation.