tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3522311.post1050522288110727948..comments2024-03-12T03:23:42.976-04:00Comments on NeuroDojo: Brainbrawl! The Connectome reviewZen Faulkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811309183398223358noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3522311.post-26403544278969454032012-04-14T23:27:00.448-04:002012-04-14T23:27:00.448-04:00We know from a huge amount of evidence that gross ...We know from a huge amount of evidence that gross location in the brain is a key indication of CNS function. The brain is not just one big pot of soup with everything mixed together. Different parts of the brain do different things. <br /><br />Since the brain consists entirely of cells, it seems necessary to conclude that location of specific cells is associated with specific functions. And "location" in that sense has a great deal to do with connections.<br /><br />But the idea that there is a wiring diagram that contains what we know seems simplistic. How could the connections change as fast as we can make short-term memories? Rewiring has to take more than a few milliseconds. <br /><br />I would not be surprised if certain kinds of long-term memories were significantly dependent on wiring. But long-term memory would be useless without a lot of short-term memory which can be set up very, very quickly. And at least the short-term part of our memory cannot be based on connections.Ralph Dratmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00426433134164984467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3522311.post-72760163750351799772012-04-03T15:17:35.370-04:002012-04-03T15:17:35.370-04:00I was, of course, exaggerating with the "palt...I was, of course, exaggerating with the "paltry" comment to make a point. ;)<br /><br />I'm not entirely sure of the point you're trying to make about the connectome plus evolution. Seung does talk about the theory that neurons compete for synaptic connections in mammalian cortex. There may well be some insights gained from there, but invertebrates don't seem to used competitive mechanisms between neurons as much. I don't know of any well documented cases.Zen Faulkeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07811309183398223358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3522311.post-20027624954805930262012-04-03T15:01:31.588-04:002012-04-03T15:01:31.588-04:00Brilliant. I love the videoBrilliant. I love the videoAbnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3522311.post-82082134330138850502012-04-03T10:50:56.227-04:002012-04-03T10:50:56.227-04:00nice post zen!
just pondering your final remark:
...nice post zen!<br /><br />just pondering your final remark:<br />what about some intrinsic difference(s) between a connectome with a theory of evolution (among other things) and the 7000 or so connectome of C. elegans, without any theory or any idea for that matter, at least as far as we know...<br />(to paraphrase E. Koonin, 2012, e.g. p 250) <br /><br />anwyay, not quite some paltry thing, difference that is.<br />I'd say.followernoreply@blogger.com