Towards a Theoretical Neuroscience from Cell Chemistry to Cognition [Paperback]

The book explains how to understand cognition in terms of brain anatomy, physiology and chemistry, using an approach adapted from techniques for understanding complex electronic systems. These techniques create hierarchies of information process based descriptions on different levels of detail, where higher levels contain less information and can therefore describe complete cognitive phenomena, but are more approximate. The nature of the approximations are well understood, and more approximate higher level descriptions can therefore be mapped to more precise detailed descriptions of any part of a phenomenon as required. Cognitive phenomena, the anatomy and connectivity of major brain structures, neuron physiology, and cellular chemistry are reviewed. Various cognitive tasks are described in terms of information processes performed by different major anatomical structures. These higher level descriptions are selectively mapped to more detailed physiological and chemical levels.

Introduction

1. The nature of scientific understanding

1.1 Understanding in the physical sciences
1.2 Complex physical systems and chaotic behaviour
1.3 Complex control systems
1.4 The brain and hierarchies of description
1.5 The basis for understanding the brain
1.6 Computer modelling and its limitations
1.7 Plan of the book?

2. Higher Cognition

2.1 Attention
2.2 Memory
2.3 Speech
2.4 Arithmetic
2.5 Face Recognition
2.6 Emotions
2.7 Hobbies and intellectual disciplines
2.8 Tool Making
2.9 Consciousness and self awareness.
2.10 Individual Differences and Complex society
2.11 Art, music and literature
2.12 Higher cognition and the brain

3. Brain Anatomy

3.1 Major anatomical structures of the brain
3.2l,