In recent decades the brain has been extensively studied and its functioning, among the many objectives, one of them was to understand how what we perceive becomes, through billions of neurons, an integrated concept or sensation; neural timing seems to be the way to achieve it. understand the answer.
Initially, the nervous system was understood as a hierarchical structure, in this way a group of neurons would be responsible for encoding certain characteristics, transmitting this information to another more specialized group and finally reaching a final neuron responsible for integrating all the information and its processing as a whole.
- However.
- This specialization would require a large number of specific neurons.
- Probably incapable of being stored.
- Another limitation of this model would arise when trying to explain different cognitive functions.
- Such as attention and expectations.
The other recently proposed mechanism is neural synchronization, this model understands that the brain acts in a decentralized way and is therefore able to process information in parallel, simultaneously activating different areas.
Therefore, neural synchronization would be responsible for coordinating all activities very precisely.
The coordinated activity of neurons would be how different neuronal groups, from remote regions, would come together in a dynamic and functional way.
In addition, it plays a key role in effective communication throughout the brain, which can happen in a number of ways: by synchronizing two nearby neurons or groups of neurons located at opposite ends of the brain.
For this to happen, it is necessary to establish a pattern of electrical activity in the neural groups, oscillating activity, that is, for neurons to communicate, it is essential that the input and output information of?Windows? It opens and closes at the same time.
More technically, the action potential must be established at the same time; Despite this, periods of uncoordinated activity are also part of neuronal synchronization, since they are those that alternate states or cognitive tasks.
As mentioned, synchronization between neurons or neural groups is critical to connecting different brain areas and being able to perform tasks successfully. One of the cognitive processes in which neuronal synchronization has been studied the most is language.
In one study, the researchers asked students to pay attention to the words presented in an audible or visual way, these words can be verbs, specific names, or abstract names; while the stimuli were present, information about brain activity was obtained through electroencephalography. information, the degree of synchronization was calculated.
The results showed that verbs caused less synchrony in front areas than names, and specific names generated greater synchronicity between the two hemispheres than abstract names.
It has also been observed that the interaction between people generates neural synchrony between them, that is, the brain activity of each brain is synchronized with that of the other when, for example, its inhabitants have a conversation.
New York University researcher Suzzane Dikker has been studying this phenomenon for years and, among her results, found that this timing occurs even when people don’t talk and that, unsurprisingly, she is greater when the people involved have a personal connection.
Another of his studies was conducted with a group of students from the same class throughout the course and found that when students were more motivated and happier, their brains were more in sync with that of their peers.
These discoveries about neural synchronization are critical to understanding how the brain integrates information, how it is linked within our system, and how we connect with others.
In addition, they are very important to better understand certain brain or psychological disorders. In diseases such as schizophrenia or autism spectrum disorders, out-of-sync patterns of brain activity have been observed that may be related to perception of reality or communicative intent.