The current view on the organization of the central nervous system (CNS) is basically anchored to the paradigm describing the brain as formed by networks of neurons interconnected by synapses. Synaptic contacts are a fundamental characteristic for describing CNS operations, but increasing evidence accumulated in the last 30 years pointed to a refinement of this view. A possible overcoming of the classical "neuroscience paradigm" will be here outlined, based on the following hypotheses: (1) the basic morpho-functional unit in the brain is a compartment of tissue (functional module) where different resident cells (not only neurons) work as an integrated unit; (2) in these complex networks, a spectrum of intercellular communication processes is exploited, that can be classified according to a dichotomous criterion: wiring transmission (occurring through physically delimited channels) and volume transmission (exploiting diffusion in the extracellular space); (3) the connections between cells can themselves be described as a network, leading to an information processing occurring at different levels from cell network down to molecular level; (4) recent evidence of the existence of specialized structures (microvesicles and tunneling nanotubes) for intercellular exchange of materials, could allow a further type of polymorphism of the CNS networks based on at least transient changes in cell phenotype. When compared to the classical paradigm, the proposed scheme of cellular organization could allow a strong increase of the degrees of freedom available to the whole system and then of its plasticity. Furthermore, long range coordination and correlation can be more easily accommodated within this framework.

Information handling by the brain: proposal of a new "paradigm" involving the roamer type of volume transmission and the tunneling nanotube type of wiring transmission / Agnati, Luigi F; Guidolin, Diego; Maura, Guido; Marcoli, Manuela; Leo, Giuseppina; Carone, Chiara; De Caro, Raffaele; Genedani, Susanna; Borroto Escuela, Dasiel O; Fuxe, Kjell. - In: JOURNAL OF NEURAL TRANSMISSION. - ISSN 0300-9564. - STAMPA. - 121:12(2014), pp. 1431-1449. [10.1007/s00702-014-1240-0]

Information handling by the brain: proposal of a new "paradigm" involving the roamer type of volume transmission and the tunneling nanotube type of wiring transmission

LEO, Giuseppina;CARONE, Chiara;GENEDANI, Susanna;
2014

Abstract

The current view on the organization of the central nervous system (CNS) is basically anchored to the paradigm describing the brain as formed by networks of neurons interconnected by synapses. Synaptic contacts are a fundamental characteristic for describing CNS operations, but increasing evidence accumulated in the last 30 years pointed to a refinement of this view. A possible overcoming of the classical "neuroscience paradigm" will be here outlined, based on the following hypotheses: (1) the basic morpho-functional unit in the brain is a compartment of tissue (functional module) where different resident cells (not only neurons) work as an integrated unit; (2) in these complex networks, a spectrum of intercellular communication processes is exploited, that can be classified according to a dichotomous criterion: wiring transmission (occurring through physically delimited channels) and volume transmission (exploiting diffusion in the extracellular space); (3) the connections between cells can themselves be described as a network, leading to an information processing occurring at different levels from cell network down to molecular level; (4) recent evidence of the existence of specialized structures (microvesicles and tunneling nanotubes) for intercellular exchange of materials, could allow a further type of polymorphism of the CNS networks based on at least transient changes in cell phenotype. When compared to the classical paradigm, the proposed scheme of cellular organization could allow a strong increase of the degrees of freedom available to the whole system and then of its plasticity. Furthermore, long range coordination and correlation can be more easily accommodated within this framework.
2014
121
12
1431
1449
Information handling by the brain: proposal of a new "paradigm" involving the roamer type of volume transmission and the tunneling nanotube type of wiring transmission / Agnati, Luigi F; Guidolin, Diego; Maura, Guido; Marcoli, Manuela; Leo, Giuseppina; Carone, Chiara; De Caro, Raffaele; Genedani, Susanna; Borroto Escuela, Dasiel O; Fuxe, Kjell. - In: JOURNAL OF NEURAL TRANSMISSION. - ISSN 0300-9564. - STAMPA. - 121:12(2014), pp. 1431-1449. [10.1007/s00702-014-1240-0]
Agnati, Luigi F; Guidolin, Diego; Maura, Guido; Marcoli, Manuela; Leo, Giuseppina; Carone, Chiara; De Caro, Raffaele; Genedani, Susanna; Borroto Escue...espandi
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.
Pubblicazioni consigliate

Licenza Creative Commons
I metadati presenti in IRIS UNIMORE sono rilasciati con licenza Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal, mentre i file delle pubblicazioni sono rilasciati con licenza Attribuzione 4.0 Internazionale (CC BY 4.0), salvo diversa indicazione.
In caso di violazione di copyright, contattare Supporto Iris

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11380/1063775
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 6
  • Scopus 17
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 18
social impact