IUBio

minds and brains

Matt Jones jonesmat at ohsu.edu
Tue Jan 5 14:13:10 EST 1999


In article <76rmmm$hsq$1 at news.tamu.edu> Walter Eric Johnson,
wej3715 at fox.tamu.edu writes:
>At least those with axons.  Are they also present in neurons 
>that don't have axons?
>

Microtubules are present in all eukaryotic cells. They participate in
segregating chromosomes during mitosis, and in general, serve as
structural and trafficking components.

>: 
>: But then again, it is not "nice" to talk about quantum-effects in
>: this newsgroup, because almost no neuro-scientist will be able
>: to understand what kind of effects this may have.
>
>There are some around.  I know of one from more of the computational
>side with degrees in physics from Harvard, Cambridge, and MIT.
>
>Eric Johnson

It's not that neuroscientists are too stupid to know what kind of effects
"quantum-effects" may have. It's that we know enough about macroscopic
systems to realize that such microscopic effects get totally averaged
out, and thus don't contribute any more to how the brain works than they
do to making sure the chair you're sitting in continues to hold up your
butt.

Matt Jones



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