Abstract
Many neurons of all animals that exhibit memory (snails, worms, flies, vertebrae) present arborized shapes with many varicosities and boutons. These neurons, release neurotransmitters and contain ionotropic receptors that produce and sense electrical signals (ephaptic transmission). The extended shapes maximize neural contact with the surrounding neutrix [defined as: neural extracellular matrix (nECM) + diffusible (neurometals and neurotransmitters)] as well as with other neurons. We propose a tripartite mechanism of animal memory based on the dynamic interactions of splayed neurons with the “neutrix.” Their interactions form cognitive units of information (cuinfo), metal-centered complexes within the nECM around the neuron. Emotive content is provided by NTs, which embody molecular links between physiologic (body) responses and psychic feelings. We propose that neurotransmitters form mixed complexes with cuinfo used for tagging emotive memory. Thus, NTs provide encoding option not available to a Turing, binary-based, device. The neurons employ combinatorially diverse options, with >10 NMs and >90 NTs for encoding (“flavoring”) cuinfo with emotive tags. The neural network efficiently encodes, decodes and consolidates related (entangled) sets of cuinfo into a coherent pattern, the basis for emotionally imbued memory, critical for determining a behavioral choice aimed at survival. The tripartite mechanism with tagging of NTs permits of a causal connection between physiology and psychology.
Highlights
The neural circuitry of the brain has been likened to a biological computing device
We propose a tripartite mechanism of animal memory based on the dynamic interactions of splayed neurons with the “neutrix.” Their interactions form cognitive units of information, metal-centered complexes within the neural extracellular matrix (nECM) around the neuron
We propose that neurotransmitters form mixed complexes with cuinfo used for tagging emotive memory
Summary
The neural circuitry of the brain has been likened to a biological computing device. But the process whereby a physiologic process (stimulus sensation) transforms into a psychical sensation (such as emotionally-tinged memory), which determines physical response to immediate stimuli, remains mysterious (Figure 1). We propose that the NTs (Hughes and Zubek, 1956; Colburn and Maas, 1965; Boggess and Martin, 1975; Chandra et al, 1980; Ludlam et al, 1980; Sigel and Martin, 1982; Jolles, 1983; Coffman and Dunn, 1988; Flood et al, 1990; Jefferys, 1995; Velez-Pardo et al, 1995; White and Rumbold, 1988; Buhot et al, 2000; Reith, 2002; Shaik, 2003; Álvarez and Ruarte, 2004; Siegel et al, 2005; Kroval et al, 2006; Marazziti et al, 2006; Neumann, 2007; Wyttenbach et al, 2008; Paoletti et al, 2009; van der Burgt et al, 2009; Burbach, 2010; Dere et al, 2010; Guastella et al, 2010; Brady et al, 2011; Lesburguères et al, 2011; Beets et al, 2012; García et al, 2012; Garrison et al, 2012; Ma et al, 2013; Pitt et al, 2013; Yanagita et al, 2013) provide the neural net with a new mode of processing (mentating) cognitive information (cog-info) not available to a binary Turing machine.
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