Letting the Brain Speak for itself

TL;DR

This paper advocates for a shift in neuroscience towards models emphasizing intrinsic neural functions, utilizing complex system dynamics, fractional calculus, and random walk models to better understand self-organization and neural processes.

Contribution

It introduces a novel perspective focusing on the brain's self-referential and self-organizing properties, emphasizing complex system approaches over traditional metaphors.

Findings

Neural functions exhibit self-organized criticality.

Fractal and cooperative processes are fundamental to neural dynamics.

Fractional calculus and random walk models are effective in theoretical neuroscience.

Abstract

Metaphors of Computation and Information tended to detract attention from the intrinsic modes of neural system functions, uncontaminated by the observer's role for collection and interpretation of experimental data. Recognizing the self-referential mode of function, and the propensity for self-organization to critical states requires a fundamental re-orientation with emphasis on the conceptual approaches of Complex System Dynamics. Accordingly, local cooperative processes, intrinsic to neural structures and of fractal nature, call for applying Fractional Calculus and models of Random Walks in Theoretical Neuroscience studies.