Timeline for What is the difference between different brain regions
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
5 events
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| Jun 29, 2013 at 14:54 | comment | added | nico | It may be important to point out that different sensations (touch, smell, sight etc) are encoded by means of the same machinery (e.g. neurons, glia) using the same code (e.g. action potentials, calcium waves). If we stimulate a subject's visual cortex using an electrode he will experience visual sensations, although he would not be seeing real things. | |
| Jun 1, 2013 at 14:07 | comment | added | AndroidPenguin | If it wasn't clear why this means we have different regions catering for different things, then it is about efficiency. Using specialised well-adapted equipment is much better than using general stuff for everything. | |
| Jun 1, 2013 at 14:06 | comment | added | AndroidPenguin | You have a machine that makes ice cream, a machine that makes bread and a machine that makes cookies. You lose the machine that makes cookies, would you use the ice cream maker or the bread maker? Would they be as good? That's how it works. Parts of our brain are specialised because they adapt as we use them. If we lose one part another part can take over that typically can mimic some of the function, but it isn't as great. If the part is unique then our brain has more difficulty. However it will unlikely be as efficient unless we train it to high degrees. That's a general theory. | |
| Jun 1, 2013 at 13:50 | comment | added | dayuloli | OK, thanks for your answer, but WHY is this more efficient that if they are not separated? Why can't every part of the brain (at least the cortex) perform every function? Or can it? If a part of someone's brain is missing, would the other parts eventually be wired differently to 'replace' the missing part? | |
| May 30, 2013 at 10:29 | history | answered | AndroidPenguin | CC BY-SA 3.0 |