The BIG difficult question:
What does it mean to understand the brain ?
Clearly - A THEORY is required to
explains how the brain ingredients
(its anatomical units; its electro-chemical signals)
generate “high level” phenomena
(perception, action, emotions)
Beginning of Modern Neuroscience
Camillo Golgi (Italy) & S. Ramon Y Cajal (Spain) – Nobel Prize 1906
Using Golgi staining method. Very small % of cells stained. Connections (synapses) - not seen
The neuron doctrine (Cajal)
Our brain is built from individual cells (neurons)
The spike (action potential)
The synaptic potential (PSP)
7. Neuron as I/O device
The neuron as an input-output electrical device