What: "To better understand how the brain could perform higher level thought processes, consider the example of a binary logic gate. A nerve cell is like a manifold logic gate where, at any time, the decision to fire (corresponding to the "true" value of a binary gate) depends on whether or not the localized potential of the cell is somewhere above a threshold level. In a computer, the values of logic gate operands are also dependent on time, but they only change synchronously and at regular intervals. In a nerve cell, operands (the localized potentials of post--synaptic dendrites) are continuous values which peak and fade asynchronously. Thus a cell receiving localized potentials from seven different synapses could fire one time and not fire the next, only because during the second time one of the seven potential changes occurred at a slightly later time than it did during the first time. "

Writer: Chris Homan

LCC:

Where: Reference Link Has Evaporated

Date: Feb 22 2014 8:53 PM