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• Alfredo Pereira Jr

  22 August 2007 | 14:50

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• Alfredo Pereira Jr

  08 January 2008 | 12:43

  New papers on cognition and consciousness published by Nature Precedings – Neuroscience section:

  - Sensory Transduction and Subjective Experience: Expression of eight genes in three senses suggests a radical model of consciousness – Chris C. King
  Abstract: Recent research into whole genome mapping of the mouse brain has made possible direct investigation of the brain expression of unusual genes. A search of the Allen Brain Atlas database has provided genetic and neuro-anatomical evidence for widespread specific expression in the brain of eight genes specific to sensory transduction, in vision, hearing and touch. A novel biophysical model is proposed for the function of these proteins, in generating the internal model of experiential reality. [There is also a discussion of the paper at the NP site – APJ]

  - Face Cognition: A Set of Distinct Mental Abilities – Oliver Wilhelm, Grit Herzmann, Olga Kunina, & Werner Sommer
  Abstract: Perceiving, learning, and recognizing faces swiftly and accurately is of paramount importance to humans as a social species. Though established functional models of face cognition suggest the existence of multiple abilities in face cognition, the number of such abilities and the relationships among them and to other cognitive abilities can only be determined by studying individual differences. Here we investigated individual differences in a broad variety of indicators of face cognition and identified for the first time three component abilities: face perception, face memory, and the speed of face cognition. These component abilities were replicated in an independent study and were found to be robustly separable from established cognitive abilities, specifically immediate and delayed memory, mental speed, general cognitive ability, and object cognition. The analysis of individual differences goes beyond functional and neurological models of face cognition by demonstrating the difference between face perception and face learning, and by making evident the distinction between speed and accuracy of face cognition. Our indicators also provide a means to develop tests and training programs for face cognition that are broader and more precise than those currently available).

  - Neural activity dissociation between thought-based and perception-based response conflict – Antao Chen, Xu Lei, Xiting Huang, Qinglin Zhang, Qiang Liu, Yongxiu Lai, Dezhong Yao, & Hong Li
  Abstract: Based on the idea that intentions have different penetrability to perception and thought (Fodor, 1983), four Stroop-like tasks, AA, AW, WA, and WW are used, where the A represents an arrow and the CPPR (closest processing prior to response) is perception, and the W represents a word and the CPPR is thought. Event-related brain potentials were recorded as participants completed these tasks, and sLORETA (standardized low resolution brain electromagnetic tomography) was used to localize the sources at specific time points. These results showed that there is an interference effect in the AA and WA tasks, but not in the AW or WW tasks. The activated brain areas related to the interference effect in the AA task were the PFC and ACC, and PFC activation took place prior to ACC activation; but only PFC in WA task. Combined with previous results, a new neural mechanism of cognitive control is proposed.

  - Beyond Spike Timing Theory – Thermodynamics of Neuronal Computation – Dorian Aur & Mandar S. Jog
  Abstract: This paper highlights ionic fluxes as information carriers in neurons. The theoretical framework regarding information transfer is presented as changes in the thermodynamic entropy that underlie specific computations determined by ionic flow. The removal or accumulation of information is analyzed in terms of ionic mass transfer related with changes in Shannon information entropy. Specifically, information transfer occurs during an action potential (AP) via the voltage gated ion channels in membranes and the same physical mechanism can be extended to various types of synapses. Since sequential APs from a selected neuron are not alike, then every spike may transfer slightly different amounts of information during their occurrence. The average efficiency in information transfer during APs is estimated using mutual information measures and Hodgkin-Huxley model. This general scheme of ions as carriers of information represents the required physical machinery for a dynamic information transfer that is missing in the current spike-timing description.

  - [With 7 votes! – APJ] A new dynamic property of human consciousness
  UnCheol Lee, Seunghwan Kim, Gyu-Jeong Noh, & Byung-Moon Choi
  Abstract: As pointed out by William James, “the consciousness is a dynamic process, not a thing” , during which short term integration is succeeded by another differentiated neural state through the continual interplay between the environment, the body, and the brain itself. Thus, the dynamic structure underlying successive states of the brain is important for understanding human consciousness as a process. In order to investigate the dynamic property of human consciousness, we developed a new method to reconstruct a state space from electroencephalogram(EEG), in which a trajectory, reflecting states of consciousness, is constructed based on the global information integration of the brain. EEGs were obtained from 14 subjects received an intravenous bolus of propopol. Here we show that the degree of human consciousness is directly associated with the information integration capacity of gamma wave, which is significantly higher in the conscious state than in the unconscious state. And we found a new time evolutional property of human consciousness. The conscious state showed a lower dimensional dynamic process which changed to a random-like process after loss of consciousness. This characteristic dynamic property, appeared only in the gamma band, might be used as an indicator to distinguish the conscious and unconscious states and also considered as an important fact for the human consciousness model.

• Mike Hemberger

  13 January 2008 | 20:37

  Dear Alfredo,
  I don’t get this Nature Precedings?!
  greetz,
  mike

• Mike Hemberger

  13 January 2008 | 20:39

  I’m sorry, I want to say: I don’t get the idea and procedure of this nat. prec….

• Alfredo Pereira Jr

  13 January 2008 | 21:18

  Dear Mike:
  The goal is to improve scientific communication and discussion before publication of relevant work. The site’s staff evaluates preprints, if approved they publish and give it a DOI number that can be useful if a future dispute about originality of ideas occur. The papers can be later rewritten and submitted to a regular Journal with peer review.
  Best,
  Alfredo