There are quite a few mega projects today ($ billions) about the study of the brain.
The Blue Brain Project originated from Henry Markram. The idea behind this project was two-fold: first, to build a new platform for brain databases, secondly, to make simulations based on the data.
The cortical column
A cortical column is a very small part (1 cubic mm - the size of a pin head) of the mammalian cortex consisting of about 30.000 cells and 100.000.000 synapses (depending on the species). It contains different cell types that compose a network. This column is considered to be a sophisticated input-output computational unit and is consisting of also of layers (the layering of the cortex (depending on cell density - up to 6 layers (L1-L6)). This column can undergo dramatic plasticity. So there is a structured order also in this case and research is focusing on finding out the underlying functions that stem out of this order.
(There was no need for notes in this lesson. It's quite self-explanatory. In the near future, I'll upload lesson's material here).
A cortical column is a very small part (1 cubic mm - the size of a pin head) of the mammalian cortex consisting of about 30.000 cells and 100.000.000 synapses (depending on the species). It contains different cell types that compose a network. This column is considered to be a sophisticated input-output computational unit and is consisting of also of layers (the layering of the cortex (depending on cell density - up to 6 layers (L1-L6)). This column can undergo dramatic plasticity. So there is a structured order also in this case and research is focusing on finding out the underlying functions that stem out of this order.
(There was no need for notes in this lesson. It's quite self-explanatory. In the near future, I'll upload lesson's material here).