Summary: The researchers introduced a revolutionary perspective on consciousness and memory in their latest paper. They propose a novel integration of the global neural workspace (GNW) hypothesis with the tripartite mechanism of memory, suggesting that consciousness is strongly influenced by emotional memories stored in neural networks.
This approach contrasts sharply with traditional views that compare neural memory to computer data. By illustrating how neural networks encode emotional states via complex biochemical processes, their research offers a new model for understanding the evolution and functionality of human consciousness.
Highlights:
- Innovative integration: The study combines the GNW hypothesis and the tripartite mechanism of memory to explore how emotional content influences consciousness.
- Biochemical memory coding: Researchers identify a mechanism by which neurons use trace metal cations and neurotransmitters to encode emotional states, improving our understanding of memory storage.
- Evolutionary perspective: The article discusses the evolutionary importance of bacterial chemical signaling and its role in the development of neuronal memory and consciousness in higher organisms.
Source: Hebrew University of Jerusalem
In a recent article published in the International Journal of Psychiatry Research, Dr. Gerard Marx of MX Biotech and Professor Chaim Gilon of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem present an innovative integration of two notable neuroscience theories: the neural network hypothesis (GNW) and the tripartite memory mechanism.
Titled “Consciousness as a Fusion of the Global Neural Network (GNW) Hypothesis and the Tripartite Mechanism of Memory,” the study offers new insights into the complex phenomena of consciousness and memory.
The research tackles an important challenge in the study of consciousness that has long been considered insurmountable.
Dr. Marx and Professor Gilon propose that memory plays a central role in the formation of consciousness, contrasting with the idea that computational information theory provides a sufficient framework for understanding neural memory.
They claim that the emotional content stored in the neural network deviates from standard computer data, thereby laying the foundation for neural memory and adding depth and meaning to conscious experience.
The researchers suggest integrating global neural workspace (GNW) theory with the tripartite mechanism of memory to better understand how the brain creates experiential memories.
In their model, they posit that the complex electrochemical activities of individual neurons are unified by the structural units of the brain, creating a unified network that facilitates consciousness through emotional memory.
The main findings of the study include:
The proposed concept of a “brain cloud” highlights the interconnected flow of information across anatomical regions of the brain, facilitated by the Global Neural Workspace (GNW).
A tripartite mechanism for neuronal memory has been identified, in which neurons use trace metal cations and neurotransmitters to encode emotional states within the extracellular matrix.
The study also highlights the evolutionary importance of bacterial chemical signaling processes in the development of neuronal memory and consciousness in complex organisms.
Through a biochemical lens, the research explains how life transitions into consciousness via the evolution of memory. By mapping the progress of neural network signaling from bacterial chemical communication to primate consciousness, the study provides a comprehensive framework for exploring the complex interplay between memory, consciousness, and evolution.
Background: Our research on the tripartite mechanism of memory explores the collaborative roles of neurons, neural extracellular matrix, trace metals, and neurotransmitters in memory formation, storage, and retrieval.
We discovered that certain metals, bound to the matrix, can alter its structure, forming complexes that serve as fundamental units of memory. These metal complexes have the ability to interact with neurotransmitters, thereby leading to the formation of emotional memory units.
These memory units collectively create a framework for storing information in the brain. This proposed mechanism sheds light on how disruptions in metal levels could potentially impact memory functions.
Furthermore, we believe that disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and autism may be linked to dysregulation of the body’s handling of metal.
Understanding these complex relationships provides insight into the processes of memory formation and retrieval, helping to understand conditions ranging from short-term memory loss to more severe memory disorders.
Gerard Marx comes from a background in blood coagulation and biotechnology. Chaim Gilon is an active Distinguished Professor specializing in the development and synthesis of peptide-based drugs.
About this research news on consciousness and memory
Author: Danaé Marx
Source: Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Contact: Danae Marx – Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Picture: Image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original research: Free access.
“‘Consciousness’ as a fusion of the global neural network (GNW) hypothesis and the tripartite mechanism of memory” by Gerard Marx et al. International Journal of Research in Psychiatry
Abstract
“Consciousness” as a fusion of the global neural network (GNW) hypothesis and the tripartite mechanism of memory
Many researchers consider the gap in our understanding of consciousness to be insurmountable. In our opinion, memory is the central phenomenon of consciousness. To the extent that we have a technical grasp of computer memory, many are looking to computers and their information theory as possible models of neural memory.
We emphasize that the “cognitive information” of neurons is distinct from the binary “information” used in computers; the first represents emotional states that escape formulations in binary format. Emotional “cognitive information” is the basis of neural memory, without which consciousness is meaningless.
News Source : neurosciencenews.com
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