Arshavsky Y I
Institute for Nonlinear Science, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
Brain Cogn. 2001 Aug;46(3):414-28. doi: 10.1006/brcg.2001.1299.
The prevailing concept in modern neuroscience is that neuron networks play a dominant role in the functioning of the nervous system, whereas the role of individual neurons is rather insignificant. This concept suggests that "individuality" of single neurons is primarily determined by their place in a network rather than their intrinsic properties. Here I argue that individual neurons may play an important, if not decisive, role in performing cognitive functions of the brain. This tentative viewpoint is supported by experimental and clinical insights into disorders of cognitive functions and by genetic studies of cognitive abilities and disabilities. The results obtained in these studies indicate that many specific cognitive functions are carried out by groups of highly specialized neurons whose roles in performing these functions are genetically predetermined and their activity could not be substituted by the activity of other neurons. In this context, the main role of neural networks and intercellular interactions is to form dynamic ensembles of neurons involved in performing a given cognitive function.
现代神经科学中盛行的概念是，神经网络在神经系统的功能中起主导作用，而单个神经元的作用则相当微不足道。这一概念表明，单个神经元的“个性”主要由它们在网络中的位置决定，而非其内在特性。在此我认为，单个神经元在执行大脑认知功能方面可能发挥着重要作用，即便不是决定性作用。这一初步观点得到了对认知功能障碍的实验和临床洞察以及对认知能力与残疾的基因研究的支持。这些研究获得的结果表明，许多特定的认知功能是由高度专业化的神经元群体执行的，它们在执行这些功能中的作用是由基因预先决定的，其活动不能被其他神经元的活动所替代。在这种情况下，神经网络和细胞间相互作用的主要作用是形成参与执行特定认知功能的神经元动态集合。
