Biochemical Inspiration from Chomsky’s “Reflections on Language”

Abstract

The biochemical basis of psychology and memory remain obscure. Psycho- and linguistic- analysis provide few clues regarding the processes that occur in our heads. Here, I try to give an autobiographical account of the development of a scientific idea of how a mental process such as memory, can be encoded in the brain. My story began (~1980) with an account of how I started as a research biochemist working in blood coagulation, then became inspired by remarks in a book on linguistics (Noam Chomsky), to quote: • “Since the subject is a physical organism, the system attributed to it must have finite representations.” • “Symbol systems that fit different molds also have different neural representations…different physical representations.” • “An empirical argument must be brought to bear.” I formulated the concept of a “cation array” as the basis for the biochemical coding of information processing in the brain, as required for memory. The core idea was that the neuron employs various elemental cations (Zn+2, Cu+2, Mn+2, etc) to encode experience into the surrounding neural extracellular matrix (nECM). The nECM serves as an chemo- lectric lattice, wherein neurons manipulate multiple trace metals (n>10) to encode, store and recall cognitive information. Energy requirements are low, rates are high, and encoding capacity is enormous. I submitted manuscripts to various journals but was rejected by all. Discouraged, I put aside this work for more than 30 years. In the interim, I continued to experimentally examine the effects of elemental cations on blood coagulation with fair success in terms of publishing the unique modulating effects of physiologic levels of Zn+2, Cu+2 on blood coagulation. After > 30 years of lying fallow, the concept of a “cation array” became revitalised by a collaboration with a fellow biochemist (Chaim Gilon, Hebrew University). Because of weekly meetings (which were videotaped), we developed of a tripartite mechanism for memory which addressed many of the points raised by Chomsky. We articulated and chemographically described a tripartite mechanism for memory, whereby a chemically based code for cognitive information permits the achievement of an emotive state instigated by metals and neurotransmitters (NTs) released by neurons/glial cells. Thus, we link biochemical processes available to neural nets to the achievement of psychic states, including memory, emotions and consciousness. The evolution of this idea continues and we invite others to join our efforts to dis-entangle psychology with physiological biochemistry.