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【bio-news】Weizmann研究所研究人员挑战神经编码的
Weizmann Institute Research Challenges A Leading Theory Of Neural Coding
Article Date: 02 Apr 2007 - 7:00 PDT
The validity of a leading theory that has held a glimmer of hope for unraveling the intricacies of the brain has just been called into question. Dr. Ilan Lampl of the Weizmann Institute of Science's Neurobiology Department has produced convincing evidence to the contrary. His findings recently appeared in the journal Neuron.
Cells in the central nervous system tend to communicate with each other via a wave of electrical signals that travel along neurons. The question is: How does the brain translate this information to allow us to perceive and understand the world before us?
It is widely believed that these electrical signals generate spiked patterns that encode different types of cognitive information. According to the theory, the brain is able to discriminate between, say, a chair and a table because each of them will generate a distinct sequence of patterns within the neural system that the brain then interprets. Upon repeated presentation of that object, its pattern is reproduced in a precise and controlled manner. Previous experiments had demonstrated repeating patterns lasting up to one second in duration.
But when Lampl and his colleagues recorded the activity of neurons in the brain region known as the cortex in anaesthetized rats and analyzed the data, they found no difference in the number of patterns produced or the time it takes for various patterns to repeat themselves, compared with data that was randomized. They therefore concluded that the patterns observed could not be due to the deterministically controlled mechanisms posited in the theory, but occur purely by chance.
The consequence of this research is likely to contribute significantly to the ongoing debate on neuronal coding. Lampl: "Since the 1980s, many neuroscientists believed they possessed the key for finally beginning to understand the workings of the brain. But we have provided strong evidence to suggest that the brain may not encode information using precise patterns of activity." 本人已认领该文编译，48小时后若未提交译文，请其他战友自由认领。 http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=66405
Weizmann Institute Research Challenges A Leading Theory Of Neural Coding
Weizmann研究所研究人员挑战神经编码的主导理论
Article Date: 02 Apr 2007 - 7:00 PDT
发表日期：2007－4－2，7:00 PDT
The validity of a leading theory that has held a glimmer of hope for unraveling the intricacies of the brain has just been called into question. Dr. Ilan Lampl of the Weizmann Institute of Science's Neurobiology Department has produced convincing evidence to the contrary. His findings recently appeared in the journal Neuron.
一种怀着微弱希望试图解释大脑中错综复杂事物的主导理论的真实性最近受到了质疑。Weizmann研究所神经生物学部的Ilan Lampl博士已经提出了令人信服的反面证据。他的这项发现最近在«神经元»杂志上发表了。
Cells in the central nervous system tend to communicate with each other via a wave of electrical signals that travel along neurons. The question is: How does the brain translate this information to allow us to perceive and understand the world before us?
中枢神经系统的细胞通过在神经元上传播的电信号波群来进行彼此的沟通。问题在于：我们的大脑如何把这些信息翻译过来使得我们能够感知和了解我们面前的这个世界？
It is widely believed that these electrical signals generate spiked patterns that encode different types of cognitive information. According to the theory, the brain is able to discriminate between, say, a chair and a table because each of them will generate a distinct sequence of patterns within the neural system that the brain then interprets. Upon repeated presentation of that object, its pattern is reproduced in a precise and controlled manner. Previous experiments had demonstrated repeating patterns lasting up to one second in duration.
大家普遍相信这些电信号以脉冲信号的模式为不同类型的认知信息编码。根据这个理论的观点，大脑能够分辨出椅子和桌子是因为它们在神经系统里产生出两种完全不同的信号序列模式，然后大脑再对之进行诠释。如果某种物体重复的出现，那么它的模式会以一种精确且受控的方式再现。以前的实验已经证实这种重复的模式持续时间可以长达一秒。
But when Lampl and his colleagues recorded the activity of neurons in the brain region known as the cortex in anaesthetized rats and analyzed the data, they found no difference in the number of patterns produced or the time it takes for various patterns to repeat themselves, compared with data that was randomized. They therefore concluded that the patterns observed could not be due to the deterministically controlled mechanisms posited in the theory, but occur purely by chance.
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作者:admin@医学,生命科学 2011-04-29 17:11
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