Gary Jasdzewski wrote:
> The brain can be studied at the following levels:
>> Central Nervous System
> |
> Systems
> |
> Networks
> . . .
> Can anyone give me an example of a network that involves the
> processing of language?
>
I'm not sure of the distinction you are making between Systems and
Networks, but look for diagrams of the visual system. There are roughly 100
different areas that have been identified, along with some of the connections
between them.
The areas are defined functionally, so they do show computational
differences between regions. For example, in motion detection, one region may
respond to upward moving oblique lines / or \ as moving perpendicular to the
line. When superimposed and moving upward like a plaid 'XXX' this region will
still respond with motion perpendicular to the direction each of the line
segments, up left / and up right /, but only a higher region will respond
that the pattern moves straight up.
This is one way to show that single cells in different regions have real
functional differences. The visual system has an incredible number of these
regions to identify different features.
For language people know much less, although Broca's and Warnekie's
aphasia's suggest a similar arrangement.
Bob King
psgrbkr at prism.gatech.edu