Tangling with the Entangled Brain: Putting the Global Back into the Local

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Complex Systems Theory
• Computational Neuroscience

Background:

• The brain is increasingly recognized as a complex system.
• Existing frameworks in complex systems and neuroscience, particularly connectomics and criticality, offer relevant perspectives.
• However, experimental neuroscience practices often lag behind this conceptual understanding.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the discrepancy between recognizing the brain as a complex system and current experimental methodologies.
• To advocate for a paradigm shift in neuroscience research towards a holistic, complex systems approach.
• To address Pessoa's call to action for a more integrated conceptual and experimental study of the brain.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of Pessoa's "The Entangled Brain" precis.
• Review of existing complex systems frameworks and their application in neuroscience.
• Critique of current experimental approaches in the field.

Main Results:

• A significant gap exists between the conceptualization of the brain as a complex system and its empirical investigation.
• Current experimental methods may not adequately capture the brain's whole-system dynamics.
• Pessoa's work serves as a critical prompt for methodological re-evaluation.

Conclusions:

• Neuroscience must embrace complex systems principles to fully understand brain function.
• Experimental designs need to be developed that treat the brain as an integrated, complex whole.
• Adopting a holistic approach is crucial for advancing the field beyond fragmented analyses.