Digital Neural Networks in the Brain: From Mechanisms for Extracting Structure in the World To Self-Structuring the Brain Itself

Alexandre Pitti (1, 2) , Mathias Quoy (1, 2) , Catherine Lavandier (2, 1) , Sofiane Boucenna (2, 1)

1 ETIS - UMR 8051 - Equipes Traitement de l'Information et Systèmes
2 NEURO

In order to keep trace of information, the brain has to resolve the problem of where information is and how to index new ones. We propose that the neural mechanism used by the prefrontal cortex (PFC) to detect structure in temporal sequences, based on the temporal order of incoming information, has served as second purpose to the spatial ordering and indexing of brain networks. We call this process, apparent to the manipulation of neural 'addresses' to organize the brain's own network, the 'digitalization' of information. Such tool is important for information processing and preservation, but also for memory formation and retrieval.

Domaines: Robotique [cs.RO]; Intelligence artificielle [cs.AI]; Réseau de neurones [cs.NE]; Neurosciences [q-bio.NC]

Alexandre Pitti, Mathias Quoy, Catherine Lavandier, Sofiane Boucenna. Digital Neural Networks in the Brain: From Mechanisms for Extracting Structure in the World To Self-Structuring the Brain Itself. 2020. ⟨hal-02638971⟩