Signaling in the Brain
In Search of Functional Units
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 10705286 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Rosa Cao (0000-0002-1726-477X, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2014 |
| Volume | 81 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Pages | 891-901 |
| Publication date | 2014-12-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Philosophy of Science (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0031-8248 • E-ISSN: 1539-767X |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1086/677688 |
| OpenAlex | W2334246995 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 6 |
| References cited | 11 |
What are the functional units of the brain? If the function of the brain is to process information-carrying signals, then the functional units will be the senders and receivers of those signals. Neurons have been the default candidate, with action potentials as the signals. But there are alternatives: synapses fit the action potential picture more cleanly, and glial activities (e.g., in astrocytes) might also be characterized as signaling. Are synapses or nonneuronal cells better candidates to play the role of functional units? Will informational signaling still be the best model for brain function if we move beyond the neuron doctrine
Action (physics) · Biology · Brain function · Cognitive science · Function (biology) · Neuron · Physics · Process (computing) · Cell Biology · Computer Science · Neural dynamics and brain function · Neuroscience · Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research · Psychology · Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling
| Citations per year | 0.75 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2018 - 2026 (9) |
| Highly cited | No |