Brain and Behavior Insitute, 2005
Session 11
From Bricks to Architecture: The Output Side of the Box

Review (the bricks):

neurons, action potentials, resting/receptor/generator potentials, synaptic potentials, inhibition, signals end and start in middle of box, thinking backwards about behavior

Yes, signals can start in the middle of the box, at all scales

Isolated Nervous System	Isolated Neuron
Isolated leech nervous system: activity in motor nerve (Brodfuehrer and Grobstein, see Variability in Brain Function and Behavior	Isolated Aplysia neuron (Alving, B.O., J. Gen. Physiol. 51: 29-45, 1968; figure from Kandel, E.R., Cellular Basis of Behavior, W.H. Freeman, 1976, p 255)

And inhibition important ("thinking backwards" about behavior)

Consolidating: One way to see the brain work (takes time)

Moving on ...

• motor symphony
• central pattern generation
• corollary discharge
• coordination without a conductor
  • forums
  • bbi03
  • Exploration and Emergence
• backwards (right to left arrows) and expectation/models
• Purpose, expectation, creativity, exploration ... all without the I-function

Learning from simplifying:

Extending the idea of internal signalling:

Adding back to get more:

And novelty generation/creativity/exploration ...

Key Points:

• Distributed control (rather than top-down hierarchy)
• Output as exploration (rather than response)
• Output associated with "expectation" or "model"
• Input as test of expectation/model (rather than "stimulus" or stamper)
• Exploring/learning can occur without I-function (sometimes, for some things, even better?)
• Education as exploration? as science?

• Purposes (multiple) without I-function
• Motor cortex
  • "Voluntary" movement
  • Inhibitor of movements one would otherwise make
  • Creator of movements one would not otherwise make
  • Part of "I-function"?
• Unconscious provides foundation for "I-function"