The brain as a working syncytium and memory as a continuum in a hyper timespace: Oscillations lead to a new model

Although this paper proposition, in principle, do not have to do with an electromagnetic mind theory, it reviews some facts that can be supportive for an electromagnetic mind theory, for example the majority of these points (that really are put there as they support a “theory of the brain as a syncytium”):

" • Several authors have demonstrated that temporal coherence exists between cells in cortical columns (Eckhorn et al., 1988; Gray and Singer, 1989; Herrmann et al., 2002).

• Each function in the brain is represented by superposition of the oscillations in various frequency ranges. The frequency of the oscillations varies across a number of response parameters. Neuron assemblies do not obey the all-or-none rule that is valid for single neurons (Chen and Herrmann, 2001; Karakaş et al., 2000a,b; Klimesch et al.,2000a,b).

• The superposition principle indicates that there is a coexistence between the alpha, beta, gamma, theta, and delta oscillations during sensory-cognitive tasks. According to the superposition principle, integrative brain functions operate through the combined action of multiple oscillations (Başar, 1980; Karakaş et al., 2000a,b).

• Coherence is a measure of phase consistency, and therefore, two signals that remain in phase over time (synchronous) are coherent (coherence equal to one). However, the opposite may not be true. Because EEG is generally composed of multiple frequency components, any pair of signals can be synchronous or coherent in some frequency bands and asynchronous or incoherent at other frequencies.

• Parallel processing in the brain is selective. This selectivity is produced by variations in the degrees of spatial coherences that occur over long distances between brain structures/neural assemblies (Başar and Ungan, 1973; Başar, 1980, 1983a,b; Başar et al., 1999; Kocsis et al., 2001; Miltner et al., 1999; Schürmann et al., 1995; Schürmann et al., 2000)." {Credits 1}

" Authors of the special issue show that semantic and episodic memories do occur in a parallel and integrative way. In addition, it is possible that they share the same neural structures. Cognitive events, emotional memory, semantic memory, and episodic memory are functioning interactively in a reverberating manner. The timespace of all of these memories occur in a timespace of almost 500 ms." {Credits 1}

" During the process of remembering, the working syncytium nature of the brain operates, whereas in reverberating, recurrent oscillatory activity occurs between the relevant structures of the brain. In such a “dynamic memory,” the time history develops as a multidirectional process in timespace." {Credits 1}

{Credits 1} 🎪 Başar, E., & Düzgün, A. (2016). The brain as a working syncytium and memory as a continuum in a hyper timespace: Oscillations lead to a new model. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 103, 199-214. © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license.