3: NeuroAnatomy and NeuroPhysiologyThe basic area of research is Neurophysiology. This involves teasing out the processing pathways and systems of the Brain. This chapter provides an introduction to the anatomy and physiology of the brain: What do we need to be conscious? Some sort of physical (physiological) system for it to run on. Coupled with some kind of basic set of processes by which we gather and generate information and use the gathered information in dealing with whatever is the next thing that comes along. Covering neurons, synapses, neurotransmitters; Localisation of function; Neural assemblies and neural systems. Go to An Introduction to the Physiology of Ordinary Consciousness which includes references to transcripts of talks from Susan Greenfield, and Bernie Baars and James Newman. Susan Greenfield,
of the Dept of Pharmacology, Oxford University. On "Neural Assemblies"
in which she posits a system of flexible neural
assemblies which recruit available undedicated neurons
for the tasks required of day-to-day moment-by-moment
consciousness. Bernie Baars of the Wright Institute, Calfiornia and James Newman of the Colorado Neurological Institute discuss the concept of a "Global
Workspace" in the brain and
suggest the extended
Reticular Thalamic Activating System
as the main "consciousness processor" (my
term). The eRTAS sits at the hub of a massive number of
neural connections from the sensory systems which are
relayed upto the cortex and a massive number of
connections from the cortex back to the eRTAS which the
cortex seems to use to regulate the flow of information
up to itself. |