Emerging concepts of brain function.
For over 40 years, since I first obtained evidence for nonsynaptic diffusion neurotransmission (most scientists call it Volume Transmission), I have been convinced that we scientists were ignoring organizational dynamics other than the mechanistic synaptic organization of the brain. For many years it was an uneasy feeling, since I was aware there are so many avenues to explore in brain function. I have wondered how much we scientists have ignored, in our quest to understand how the brain really works, due to our efforts to "be scientific". In addition to the difficulty of understanding how the brain functions, how could we even begin to explore the human experience? In this paper I will first discuss some emerging concepts of brain function. I will then comment on the development of concepts that have been a part of my own research experience.
Bach-Y-Rita
Paul
P
Departments of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Medicine and of Biomedical Engineering, 1300 University Avenue, Room 2756, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA. pbachyri@wisc.edu
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D019295:Computational Biology; D003210:Concept Formation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D009488:Neurosciences; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012046:Rehabilitation; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology