Consciousness, cognition, and context-sensitive pyramidal neurons

What is it about?

This is a co-authored paper on a new theoretical and experimental approach to studying and explaining perception, cognition and consciousness. Writing this article was initiated and coordinated by the lead author William A. Phillips. Cognition and executive behavior are known to be extremely context-dependent, which allows effective adaptation of mental processes to the current context. Crucial role in carrying out these functions is played by the integrative mechanisms of multi-compartment neocortical pyramidal cells. Apical dendrites of these neurons extending through different cortical layers have different input integration zones; they receive input from diverse sources, including feed-forward signals carrying sensory information and feedback from other brain sites amplifying the cell’s feedforward transmission if relevant in the context informed by the feedback sources. Apical input effects on cellular output depend on whether the subject is awake, deeply asleep, or dreaming. Imagery, hallucinations and cognitive misinterpretations also may depend on apical input. Evidence for this neurobiological cognition framework has been obtained by high-resolution neuroimaging in humans and research on cellular mechanisms carried out with other mammals.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

This approach has several advantages: it harmonizes micro- and local circuit level knowledge on cognition and consciousness with the macro-level theories; it is capable of deepening our understanding of the objective neurobiological foundations of the subjective, psychological life of humans, including the disturbing aspects of it; this cellular-psychology framework is expected to help fine-tuning the AI based models of cognition and behavior and make them more compatible with the ways the natural brain functions.