From: Thomas Buckner (tcbevolver@yahoo.com)
Date: Sun Mar 28 2004 - 15:47:18 MST
--- Ben Goertzel <ben@goertzel.org> wrote:
> > There is also another excellent article about the
> glia in the
> > brain. It seems that glia have a much more
> substantial role
> > in learning and memory than previously thought.
> This may
> > cause those who were neuron-centered to
> recalculate the
> > computational capacity of the brain with strong
> consideration
> > to glia which outnumber neurons 9 to 1..
> >
> > --Kevin
>
> Well, current estimates of the brain's
> "computational capacity" aren't
> accurate within a factor of 10 anyway ;)
>
> Glia create the myelin sheath around neurons, which
> affects speed of
> electrical conduction between neurons. Is the
> proposed function of glia
> you mention related to this, or is it something
> different?
>
> -- Ben
The article says that glia have been caught in the act
of exchanging information with neurons, and play a
role in deciding where new dendrites will grow (that's
about all I remember right now). Einstein's brain had
the normal number of neurons but was found to be very
rich in glia. Glia were considered uninteresting until
recently, so we'll be hearing more when details
emerge.
Tom
=====
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