Or does your Q have more to do with the so-called-"Philosophical" mind/brain
so-called-"duality"?
If so, I can answer that one without recourse to the ref. ken collins
kkollins at pop3.concentric.net wrote:
> Ben Godde wrote:
>> > > All this said, I'll be able to do more with your Q if you answer my queries,
> > > above. Cheers, ken collins
> >
> > ok, I will try again:
> >
> > Is the occurence of new labelling patterns (labelling based on
> > retrograde or anterograde axonal transport) after plastic cortical
> > reorganization a proof of the emergence or sprouting of axons.
> >
> > This questions referes to the work of S Florence and J Kaas (Science,
> > this month), showing abnormal labelling patterns in arm amputated
> > monkeys, revealing new (functional OR anatomical OR both ??)
> > intracortical connections over several millimeters.
>> I'll get the ref and then comment further... to guard against the possibility that
> I've been talking "apples" when you asked, "What about 'oranges'" :-)
>> > The question is not:
> > Is there plasticity (activity dependent or learning induced) in the
> > cortex. That is a fact.
> >
> > and the question is not:
> > Is sprouting possible in the neocortex and is it involved in plastic
> > processes. I think so.
> >
> > But the question is:
> > Is the author's method able to give last evidence, THE FINAL PROOF, that
> > sprouting in the neocortex occurs over several millimeters
> > AND
> > that the found new connections are NOT due to functional alterations.
> >
> > Hope, my intention becomes clearer , now.
>> How could there be new functionality (the "newness" is implicit in the
> "altered-ness") without correlated anatomical changes?
>> In the case of the severed limbs, the "recovering" of the cortical space that's
> made available when its inputs are massively-lesioned is old stuff that was
> well-documented long ago.
>> Such "recovering" of newly-available cortical space procedes via simple TD
> E/I-minimization, just like everything else within the nervous system does.
>> I'll see if the article's stuff can help us get "in-sync". ken collins