title: Quantitative descriptions of generalized arousal, an elementary function of the vertebrate brain.
abstract: We review a concept of the most primitive, fundamental function of the vertebrate CNS, generalized arousal (GA). Three independent lines of evidence indicate the existence of GA: statistical, genetic, and mechanistic. Here we ask, is this concept amenable to quantitative analysis? Answering in the affirmative, four quantitative approaches have proven useful: (i) factor analysis, (ii) information theory, (iii) deterministic chaos, and (iv) application of a Gaussian equation. It strikes us that, to date, not just one but at least four different quantitative approaches seem necessary for describing different aspects of scientific work on GA.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurobiology and Behavior and Laboratory of Biological Modelling, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA. awells@rockefeller.edu
authors.forename: Amy Wells
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Quinkert
authors.forename: Vivek
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vimal
authors.forename: Zachary M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Weil
authors.forename: George N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Reeke
authors.forename: Nicholas D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Schiff
authors.forename: Jayanth R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Banavar
authors.forename: Donald W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Pfaff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006815:Hunger / Q000502:physiology; D007257:Information Theory; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000502:physiology*