Neuron Permeability and Sentience

Posted by:

Alfredo Pereira Jr (group admin)

Date:

30 April 2008

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An interesting paper appeared in the Neuroscience journal (see the Abstract below).
The author seems to be an argute researcher who tries to explain a mental phenomenon (sentience) by means of an analogy with a biophysical event (permeability of the neuronal membrane to ions).

Alfredo

Neuroscience. 2008 Feb 29 [Epub ahead of print]

The neuron-level phenomena underlying cognition and consciousness: Synaptic
activity and the action potential.

Cook ND.

Department of Informatics, Kansai University, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1089, Japan.

An unusual property of the neuron is its capability for cell-to-cell
communication via synapses, known to be the neuron-level “protophenomenon”
underlying the brain-level “real phenomenon” of cognition. The temporal
synchronization of such synaptic activity is the leading candidate for explaining
“cognitive binding” and therefore the unity of mind. An equally-unusual property
of the neuron is the action potential, the means by which the neuron sends a
signal down the axon. Although infrequently noted by researchers in relation to
consciousness, signal propagation within the neuron entails the momentary
permeability of the neuronal membrane, allowing a massive influx of charged ions
into the cellular interior. Such openness to the extracellular world is arguably
the protophenomenon of neuronal “sentience,” literally, feeling the charge-state
of the electrochemical environment. Sensitivity to the external pH is a common
feature of all living cells, but is greatly amplified during the neuron’s action
potential. Synchronization of the action potentials of the same neurons that are
involved in cognitive binding is the likely mechanism by which the sentience of
individual neurons is coordinated into the brain-level phenomenon of subjective
awareness. I conclude that a proper understanding of the permeability of the
neuronal membrane during the action potential is as important for consciousness
studies as is a proper understanding of synaptic transmission for the explication
of the cognition made possible by neurons.
PMID: 18406536

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