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Evolution of consciousness.

J C Eccles1

  • 1Max-Planck-Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt/Main, Federal Republic of Germany.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|August 15, 1992
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Consciousness may originate from the mammalian neocortex, where neural units called dendrons interact with mental units called psychons via quantum physics. This interaction provided early mammals with a survival advantage over reptiles.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Quantum Physics

Background:

  • The origin of consciousness remains a significant scientific challenge.
  • Mammalian neocortex possesses unique structural and functional properties.
  • Previous theories have not fully explained the link between brain structure and subjective experience.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose a novel hypothesis for the origin of consciousness.
  • To link the evolution of the mammalian neocortex to the emergence of conscious experience.
  • To elucidate the potential mechanism of mind-brain interaction.

Main Methods:

  • Hypothetical model integrating neurobiology, quantum physics, and evolutionary theory.
  • Analysis of the structure and function of pyramidal cell apical dendrites in the neocortex.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Postulation of neural receptor units (dendrons) and mental units (psychons).

    • Main Results:

    • Consciousness is hypothesized to arise from the interaction between dendrons and psychons.
    • Dendrons, formed by bundled apical dendrites, integrate complex sensory inputs.
    • This interaction, potentially mediated by quantum physics, forms the basis of subjective experience in mammals.

    Conclusions:

    • The evolution of the neocortex and its dendrons provided an evolutionary advantage by enabling consciousness.
    • Consciousness likely emerged in early mammals approximately 200 million years ago.
    • Further investigation into avian brain structures like the Wulst is needed to understand consciousness in other species.