108 research outputs found

    The ā€œconscious pilotā€ā€”dendritic synchrony moves through the brain to mediate consciousness

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    Cognitive brain functions including sensory processing and control of behavior are understood as ā€œneurocomputationā€ in axonalā€“dendritic synaptic networks of ā€œintegrate-and-fireā€ neurons. Cognitive neurocomputation with consciousness is accompanied by 30- to 90-Hz gamma synchrony electroencephalography (EEG), and non-conscious neurocomputation is not. Gamma synchrony EEG derives largely from neuronal groups linked by dendriticā€“dendritic gap junctions, forming transient syncytia (ā€œdendritic websā€) in input/integration layers oriented sideways to axonalā€“dendritic neurocomputational flow. As gap junctions open and close, a gamma-synchronized dendritic web can rapidly change topology and move through the brain as a spatiotemporal envelope performing collective integration and volitional choices correlating with consciousness. The ā€œconscious pilotā€ is a metaphorical description for a mobile gamma-synchronized dendritic web as vehicle for a conscious agent/pilot which experiences and assumes control of otherwise non-conscious auto-pilot neurocomputation

    Psychoneural Isomorphism: From Metaphysics to Robustness

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    At the beginning of the 20th century, Gestalt psychologists put forward the concept of psychoneural isomorphism, which was meant to replace Fechnerā€™s obscure notion of psychophysical parallelism and provide a heuristics that may facilitate the search for the neural correlates of the mind. However, the concept has generated much confusion in the debate, and today its role is still unclear. In this contribution, I will attempt a little conceptual spadework in clarifying the concept of psychoneural isomorphism, focusing exclusively on conscious visual perceptual experience and its neural correlates. Firstly, I will outline the history of our concept, and its alleged metaphysical and epistemic roles. Then, I will clarify the nature of isomorphism and rule out its metaphysical role. Finally, I will review some epistemic roles of our concept, zooming in on the work of Jean Petitot, and suggest that it does not play a relevant heuristic role. I conclude suggesting that psychoneural isomorphism might be an indicator of robustness for certain mathematical descriptions of perceptual content

    Neural Correlates of Motor Vigour and Motor Urgency During Exercise

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    The Hippocampal System and Recombinant Processing

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    An Autopoietic Aesthetic in Interactive Art

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