Belief Propagation and Wiring Length Optimization as Organizing Principles for Cortical Microcircuits

Published by Dileep George and Jeff Hawkins

This paper explores how functional and anatomical constraints and resource optimization could be combined to obtain a canonical cortical micro-circuit and an explanation for its laminar organization. We start with the assumption that cortical regions are involved in Bayesian Belief Propagation. This imposes a set of constraints on the type of neurons and the connection patterns between neurons in that region. In addition there are anatomical constraints that a region has to adhere to. There are several different configurations of neurons consistent with both these constraints. Among all such configurations, it is reasonable to expect that Nature has chosen the configuration with the minimum wiring length. We cast the problem of finding the optimum configuration as a combinatorial optimization problem. A near-optimal solution to this problem matched anatomical and physiological data. As the result of this investigation, we propose a canonical cortical micro-circuit that will support Bayesian Belief Propagation computation and whose laminar organization is near optimal in its wiring length. We describe how the details of this circuit match many of the anatomical and physiological findings and discuss the implications of these results to experimenters and theorists. Click fore more (.pdf)

Attention and consciousness: two distinct brain processes

Published by Christof Koch and Naotsugu Tsuchiya on Neuron.org

The close relationship between attention and consciousness has led many scholars to conflate these processes. This article summarizes psychophysical evidence, arguing that top-down attention and consciousness are distinct phenomena that need not occur together and that can be manipulated using distinct paradigms. Subjects can become conscious of an isolated object or the gist of a scene despite the near absence of top-down attention; conversely, subjects can attend to perceptually invisible objects. Furthermore, top-down attention and consciousness can have opposing effects. Such dissociations are easier to understand when the different functions of these two processes are considered. Untangling their tight relationship is necessary for the scientific elucidation of consciousness and its material substrate. Click for more... (.pdf)

Theory of Brain Function, Quantum Mechanics and Superstrings

Published by D.V. Nanopoulos

"Theory of brain function, quantum mechanics, and superstrings are three fascinating topics, which at first look bear little, if any at all, relation to each other. Trying to put them together in a cohesive way, as described in this task, becomes a most demanding challenge and unique experience. The main thrust of the present work is to put forward a, maybe, foolhardy attempt at developing a new, general, but hopefully scientifically sound framework of Brain Dynamics, based upon some recent developments, both in (sub)neural science and in (non)critical string theory. I do understand that Microtubules are not considered by all neuroscientists, to put it politely, as the microsites of consciousnes." Click for more...

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[G.K Comment: Interesting... but is it all true? More to follow...]