what happens when a thought takes place in the brain?

[vincentfromyay]

how does the decision to get up out of bed lead us to actually getting up out of bed?

[Greg Boyles]

how does the decision to get up out of bed lead us to actually getting up out of bed?

 

I guess the thought takes shape in the frontal lobes with a cascade of nerve impulses being sent to the motor cotex which then sends the appropriate combination of impulses down the spinal chord to the limbs that then results in us pushing ourselves up and out of the bed.

 

In much in the same way that the CPU of a robot reaches a point in the program it is running where electrical signals are sent through a series of wires to limb actuators that then cause the robot to move in some way.

[granadina]

I guess the thought takes shape in the frontal lobes with a cascade of nerve impulses being sent to the motor cotex which then sends the appropriate combination of impulses down the spinal chord to the limbs that then results in us pushing ourselves up and out of the bed.

 

In much in the same way that the CPU of a robot reaches a point in the program it is running where electrical signals are sent through a series of wires to limb actuators that then cause the robot to move in some way.

 

There could be something before ' the decision to get up out of bed ' .

 

I think there's a difference in saying - ' When a thought takes place in the brain '

and - ' The decision to get up out of bed ' .

 

The latter presupposes a ' decision maker ' .. nowhere to be found !

The thought ' appeared ' in the brain as a result of a lot more that precedes it ; the physical

and the mental needs preparing the body for the next course of action .

 

Isn't the ' I ' of the person unduly superimposed on this bit of action ?

[Dekan]

There could be something before ' the decision to get up out of bed ' .

 

I think there's a difference in saying - ' When a thought takes place in the brain '

and - ' The decision to get up out of bed ' .

 

 

Yes, I think you're quite right - the thought precedes the decision.

 

For example - with regard to getting out of bed:

 

First - there's a faint, tentative thought: "I've got to get up soon".

 

Then - a bit later, there's a strong definite decision: "I'm going to get up now." This leads to the requisite physical action: getting out of bed.

And this later decision, to take physical action, registers strongly on brain-scanning devices. Whereas the earlier tentative thought, is too weak to register.

 

Could this be why brain-scanners are misleading researchers?

[granadina]

Yes, I think you're quite right - the thought precedes the decision.

 

For example - with regard to getting out of bed:

 

First - there's a faint, tentative thought: "I've got to get up soon".

 

Then - a bit later, there's a strong definite decision: "I'm going to get up now." This leads to the requisite physical action: getting out of bed.

And this later decision, to take physical action, registers strongly on brain-scanning devices. Whereas the earlier tentative thought, is too weak to register.

 

Could this be why brain-scanners are misleading researchers?

 

 

 

Thanks .

 

 

Also , can the origin of a thought be ever ' pointed ' at ?

 

 

 

 

Edited October 12, 2011 by granadina

[acneperfect]

This is a very broad question, but i'll see if i can answer it in a general sense.

 

Cognitive thought is a global process, arising from a vast network of electrical and chemical signals coming together from many areas of different association areas of the cortex and deeper regions concerning memory, emotion, etc. Neurons communicate through a series of successive electrical signals passing from neuron to neuron, releasing chemical receptors to help determine the response of the next neuron in line (basically by changing the threshold needed for the receiving neuron to fire). Sensory information is processed and associated through specific pathways, put together in the cortical association areas, and stored through different mechanisms to form memories (another broad topic). The interplay between enormous numbers of neurons in specialized areas of the cortex forms the basis of thought and perception. Based on the information you receive from your senses and previous information stored in your memory about what time it is, how you feel, and what your plans are, etc, you can decide that it is time to get up.

 

Once the decision is made, the cortex will signal a deep area in the brain called the basal ganglia, which is responsible for initiating movement. These pathways in turn signal the necessary areas in the motor cortex that it is time for the necessary muscles to move. The motor cortex will send signals down the spinal column, which are fine tuned by areas in the cerebellum for proper coordination, to the appropriate muscles and cause them to contract or relax. Constant feedback from the sensory systems, your motor memory systems, and the cerebellum ensures that you are performing the correct series of movements and you physically get up.

 

This is a very basic description of what actually happens as a full explanation would be thousands of pages long, but if you're just learning the basics, i hope it helps.

[granadina]

It definitely helps .

Thanks for the description .

 

Based on the information you receive from your senses and previous information stored in your memory about what time it is, how you feel, and what your plans are, etc, you can decide that it is time to get up.

 

The nebulous zone in the above is the concluding line - ' you can decide that it is time to get up . '

Could it be that the full explanation of thousands of pages would not require this questionable element of free will ?

 

Isn't the body an autonomous system ?

[venkyreddy]

ya if we know the specific areas where thought process begins then we cant treat many psychiatric n mental disorders

but what makes the thought to take shape n what r the parts n properties of the mechanism ........i NEED IT PLZ HELP ME

 

 

 

 

Thanks .

 

 

Also , can the origin of a thought be ever ' pointed ' at ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DrmDoc]

ya if we know the specific areas where thought process begins then we cant treat many psychiatric n mental disorders

but what makes the thought to take shape n what r the parts n properties of the mechanism ........i NEED IT PLZ HELP ME

 

Actually, the thought to arouse from sleep and bed begins in the most primitive parts of our central nervous system. Sleep appears to be regulated by neurons in that part of the brain associated with our basal drives and motivation, which is the hypothalamus. More recent data suggest that the thalamus also play a prominent role. Sleep satisfies a physiological need. When that need is met, arousal from sleep begins. Upon arousal, internal drives such as hunger initiate those mentation or thought processes associated with satisfying those drives. I hope this helps.

Edited November 19, 2011 by DrmDoc

[granadina]

Actually, the thought to arouse from sleep and bed begins in the most primitive parts of our central nervous system. Sleep appears to be regulated by neurons in that part of the brain associated with our basal drives and motivation, which is the hypothalamus. More recent data suggest that the thalamus also play a prominent role. Sleep satisfies a physiological need. When that need is met, arousal from sleep begins. Upon arousal, internal drives such as hunger initiate those mentation or thought processes associated with satisfying those drives. I hope this helps.

 

This definitely helps .

Doesn't it also point at the body as self governing system ?

 

In a way the question - ' What happens when a thought takes place in the brain ? '

CANNOT be treated in isolation .

 

' Thought ' as yet is not something that can be objectively represented .

It's the fallacy of language that makes it appear so .

 

 

 

[DrmDoc]

This definitely helps .

Doesn't it also point at the body as self governing system ?

 

In a way the question - ' What happens when a thought takes place in the brain ? '

CANNOT be treated in isolation .

 

' Thought ' as yet is not something that can be objectively represented .

It's the fallacy of language that makes it appear so .

 

Thought, as it relates to brain function and its data assessment processes, is difficult to quantify in simple terms because our thought processes require a concert of neural activity eveloping the whole of brain function. Thought could be defined as a process of mentation or a mentation response to the perception and assessment of sensory data arising from sources internal or external to the body. It's safe to say that our mentation responses likely begin when sensory data enters the hypothalamus, which is where our survival drives originate. Our survival drives are likely at the center of all our thought processes.

Edited November 21, 2011 by DrmDoc

[Greg Boyles]

There could be something before ' the decision to get up out of bed ' .

 

I think there's a difference in saying - ' When a thought takes place in the brain '

and - ' The decision to get up out of bed ' .

 

The latter presupposes a ' decision maker ' .. nowhere to be found !

The thought ' appeared ' in the brain as a result of a lot more that precedes it ; the physical

and the mental needs preparing the body for the next course of action .

 

Isn't the ' I ' of the person unduly superimposed on this bit of action ?

 

That is the old dualism argument of the faithful. But all the medical evidence seems to point to the fact that the 'decision' and the 'I' are inseperable and the same.

[fractalres]

I think neural node theory is a good starting point for understanding the neurological basis of intelligibility.