Functional Hierarchies in the Brain

Abstract

From the introduction: ``Brain modelling and simulation of behaviour play a crucial role in theoretical neurosciences. This modelling can be performed on many conceptual and descriptive levels (e.g., M. A. Arbib [Internat. J. Man-Mach. Stud. {\bf 7} (1975), 279--295; Zbl {\bf 314} \#94031] lists 8 conceptual levels). We adopt the classification of descriptive levels as given by J. Szentágothai and Arbib [Neurosci. Res. Program Bull. {\bf 12} (1974), no. 3, 307--510] for the purpose of delimiting the scope and the area of interest of the present paper. \par ``These descriptive levels are specified as: (a) overall functional behaviour; (b) decomposition of functional behaviour in terms of gross anatomy versus decomposition in terms of subfunctions; (c) layer-by-layer analysis of nuclei and cortical regions; (d) details of local neural circuitry and function. The present paper is concerned with the descriptive level (b) above.'' \par \{For the entire collection see [msn] MR0484575 (58 \#4473) [/msn].\}