Can Physics Help to Model the Brain Functions?

Mostafa M.Dini

The model and the case studyThe model

In this model it is claimed that:1) Brain is an elastic material

(visco-elastic) and physical input stresses strain the tissues.

2) Daily high stresses cause overstrains, and the elasticity will degrade. Sleep is a necessity to recover the elasticity property.

The case study

The case study is to confirm that:

1) Daily stressful events stimulate the same-emotionally induced memories, causing the emotion to pop into a dream.

2) The releasing emotion is the core of a dream narrative with a mixture of characters, actions and scenes borrowed from all of them.

Terminology

Neuroscience / Psychology

• Neural Networks

• Stress

• Emotion

• Memory

• Memory building and Dream

• Synchronized firings

• Activation potential

• Brain activity

Physics / Kinematics• Networks configuration• Stress, strain and elasticity• Overstrain• Memory (for elastics) • Synaptic reconfiguration

and equalization• Fractals• Required activation energy • stress flow or free energy

flow

Neural networks

• Neural networks are configured in different arrangements of hierarchical, series, parallel and loop orders depending on the structure of the area.

• Different neural networks grow according to the neuron types available in a location,

Neural Network mapping

1. The bigger the nodes, the more complex the neural network is. The thicker the blue line, the denser the connections are (Human connectome project).

2. This map provides the possible routes for communications. But, the communication between nodes through the connections needs certain circumstances of overcoming the minimum required activation energy or resonating condition which straining of the elastic brain can create such a condition (Model).

Memory sites, types and building

1. Memories are saved by means of the plasticized configuration of neural networks (Model).

2. About 10000 neural networks are sufficient to save a specific memory (engram) [1].

3. Different areas save different types of memory.

4. Memory building is physically a process of synaptic change consolidation[2].

Some theories explain the location of memories inside neuron cells and in molecular scale (e.g. DNA configuration)[1], but there is a shift recently from molecular structure to neural networks for encoding memories[3],[4].

Molecular structures store the genetic information, which have a catalytic effect on the activity in any location.

[1] –The Curious Perils of Seeing the Other Side; Jamil Zaki;; Scientific American Mind; July 2012

[2] - can the hypothesis of synaptic plasticity explain long-term memory consolidation?; Arshavsky YI.; 2000

[3]- Brain plasticity mechanisms and memory; Bruel-Jungerman E, Davis S, Laroche S.; 2000.

[4]- Synaptic plasticity, memory and the hippocampus: a neural network approach to causality; Neves G, Cooke SF, Bliss TV.; 2007.

Sleep and memory consolidation

• Memory consolidation is a combined processes of:

1) reconfiguration in synapses within a network due to an overstrain caused by a source of that memory (in NREM stages) (Model),

2) stabilization of the memory in the location (in REM stages) (Model),.

• Memories are functionally linked by the communications between the plasticized networks.

[1]- Synaptic plasticity and memory: an evaluation of the hypothesis; Martin SJ, Grimwood PD, Morris RG.; 2006.

Stress Psychological

• Refers to an excessive or a long term exposure to outside pressures [1].

• Stress causes change in plasticity which underlie the changes in learning and memory building [2].

[1] - Synaptic plasticity in learning and memory: stress effects in the hippocampus; Howland JG, Wang YT.; 2008).

[2] - Synaptic plasticity in learning and memory: stress effects in the hippocampus; Howland JG, Wang YT.; 2008.

Physical (kinematics)• Refers to mutual actions of forces

across any section of the brain.

• In nonlinear range, emotion and memory building are involved.

• It is normally within the safe range of absorption in brain as a viscoelastic material. However, there is the yield or rupturing point on overstraining extreme which can hurt or rupture the tissues (headaches and stroke as evidences) (Model).

Overstrain and emotion• Emotion relief acts as a safety

valve to release the overstrains to protect the brain tissues(Model).

• Emotion relief also recovers the brain elasticity property and its functioning efficiency (Model).

• Physical pain and pleasure are accompanied straining and relaxing the strains. It is assumed that the physical pain and pleasure are the origins of the other emotions (Model).

(Graph from: The Mechanics of Human Brain Tissue)

Straining and a brain activity

• Straining synchronizes the firing and makes it to develop (Model).

• Strains change the firing gate distributions over the synapses; and make the network ready to resonate (Model)

• synchronized firing clouds could be fractal-like over neural networks, and considered as an energy packet (Model)

• Developing fractals, network by network, is like a free energy transfer along a pathway and accompanies a brain activity(Model).

The steps associated to a brain activity in kinematics words

Accumulating StrainsAccumulating Strains

Processing

Needs & Desires

Memories

Stress ReleasingStress Releasing

Local Synapses ReconfigurationLocal Synapses Reconfiguration

Input

Waking Outputs

The steps associated to a brain activity in psychological words

Emotions

(introversion)

Emotions

(introversion)

Processing

Needs & Desires

Memories

DreamsDreams

New Memory Building

New Memory Building

Information

Conclusions

(extroversion)(Knowledge)

Dreams are self-relevant thoughtswhich release daily stresses

• In waking: thoughts induce emotions

• In sleep: emotions create images

Case Study

• To support the kinematics theory and the claim that: “ Any dream has:

1) a common emotion with a daily stressful event, 2) the emotion in the dream is reinforced by at

least one previous memory; and 3) it borrows the characters, actions and scenes

which reflect individually or together the same emotion",

about 190 dreams were noted and analyzed,

Case Study(analysis results)

• For 190 dreams, the result shows a ranking of the claim confirmation as follows:

% 26 very high;

% 43 high;

% 21 moderate and

%10 weak or cannot be rated

Dream is a Conversation Within elements: Inputs, Memories (working, short & long-term) and

Emotions

* If in the model many assumptions and claims are considered, it continuously would be counter-checked by new findings.* The model is being developed for software. Partnership opportunities are welcomed.

Thank youQuestions