Human Development XI: The Structure of the Cerebral Cortex. Are There Really Modules in the Brain?
The structure of human consciousness is thought to be closely connected to the structure of cerebral cortex. One of the most appreciated concepts in this regard is the Szanthagothei model of a modular building of neo-cortex. The modules are believed to organize brain activity pretty much like a comp...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2007-01-01
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| Series: | The Scientific World Journal |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2007.256 |
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| author | Tyge Dahl Hermansen Søren Ventegodt Isack Kandel |
| author_facet | Tyge Dahl Hermansen Søren Ventegodt Isack Kandel |
| author_sort | Tyge Dahl Hermansen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The structure of human consciousness is thought to be closely connected to the structure of cerebral cortex. One of the most appreciated concepts in this regard is the Szanthagothei model of a modular building of neo-cortex. The modules are believed to organize brain activity pretty much like a computer. We looked at examples in the literature and argue that there is no significant evidence that supports Szanthagothei's model. We discuss the use of the limited genetic information, the corticocortical afferents termination and the columns in primary sensory cortex as arguments for the existence of the cortex-module. Further, we discuss the results of experiments with Luminization Microscopy (LM) colouration of myalinized fibres, in which vertical bundles of afferent/efferent fibres that could support the cortex module are identified. We conclude that sensory maps seem not to be an expression for simple specific connectivity, but rather to be functional defined. We also conclude that evidence for the existence of the postulated module or column does not exist in the discussed material. This opens up for an important discussion of the brain as functionally directed by biological information (information-directed self-organisation), and for consciousness being closely linked to the structure of the universe at large. Consciousness is thus not a local phenomena limited to the brain, but a much more global phenomena connected to the wholeness of the world. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-754df27233e04a8bb4ca6f5b17fea06d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1537-744X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2007-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Scientific World Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-754df27233e04a8bb4ca6f5b17fea06d2025-02-03T01:24:16ZengWileyThe Scientific World Journal1537-744X2007-01-0171922192910.1100/tsw.2007.256Human Development XI: The Structure of the Cerebral Cortex. Are There Really Modules in the Brain?Tyge Dahl Hermansen0Søren Ventegodt1Isack Kandel2Quality of Life Research Center, Teglgårdstræde 4-8, DK-1452 Copenhagen K, DenmarkQuality of Life Research Center, Teglgårdstræde 4-8, DK-1452 Copenhagen K, DenmarkFaculty of Social Sciences, Department of Behavioral Sciences, Ariel University Center of Samaria, Ariel, IsraelThe structure of human consciousness is thought to be closely connected to the structure of cerebral cortex. One of the most appreciated concepts in this regard is the Szanthagothei model of a modular building of neo-cortex. The modules are believed to organize brain activity pretty much like a computer. We looked at examples in the literature and argue that there is no significant evidence that supports Szanthagothei's model. We discuss the use of the limited genetic information, the corticocortical afferents termination and the columns in primary sensory cortex as arguments for the existence of the cortex-module. Further, we discuss the results of experiments with Luminization Microscopy (LM) colouration of myalinized fibres, in which vertical bundles of afferent/efferent fibres that could support the cortex module are identified. We conclude that sensory maps seem not to be an expression for simple specific connectivity, but rather to be functional defined. We also conclude that evidence for the existence of the postulated module or column does not exist in the discussed material. This opens up for an important discussion of the brain as functionally directed by biological information (information-directed self-organisation), and for consciousness being closely linked to the structure of the universe at large. Consciousness is thus not a local phenomena limited to the brain, but a much more global phenomena connected to the wholeness of the world.http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2007.256 |
| spellingShingle | Tyge Dahl Hermansen Søren Ventegodt Isack Kandel Human Development XI: The Structure of the Cerebral Cortex. Are There Really Modules in the Brain? The Scientific World Journal |
| title | Human Development XI: The Structure of the Cerebral Cortex. Are There Really Modules in the Brain? |
| title_full | Human Development XI: The Structure of the Cerebral Cortex. Are There Really Modules in the Brain? |
| title_fullStr | Human Development XI: The Structure of the Cerebral Cortex. Are There Really Modules in the Brain? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Human Development XI: The Structure of the Cerebral Cortex. Are There Really Modules in the Brain? |
| title_short | Human Development XI: The Structure of the Cerebral Cortex. Are There Really Modules in the Brain? |
| title_sort | human development xi the structure of the cerebral cortex are there really modules in the brain |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2007.256 |
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