When we're Looking for Something...

For a long time it was unknown where the center in your brain is for processing basic sensory information, but recently University of Chicago Scientists believe they have discovered it. In an experiment by David Freedman, PhD, a professor of neurobiology at University of Chicago, and postdoctoral fellow Guilhem Ibos, PhD, individual neurons were observed during a simple task, for their response. Monkeys's brains were observed while being shown a series of images were rapidly flashed before them. Initially one image, like red dots moving upwards, was shown to them to serve as instructions for what they were looking for. When the moneys release a lever at the sight of the first image they are rewarded. During this activity the neurons in the lateral intraparietal area (LIP) were very active. The one of the most amazing discoveries the team made was that they noticed the neurons were shifting their sensitivity to different colors of light so that your brain can find the right image. This experiment showed scientists some amazing, previously unknown things (University of Chicago Medical Center, 2014)

When I read this article, it fascinated me. The idea of neurons shifting they're sensitivity to certain things in order to accomplish a goal is amazing to me. That this could happen proves that there is so much more about the brain that we don't know yet, and this kind of major discovery is happening only know proves, to me, that we will never know quite everything about the human brain. In my opinion, that does not mean it is not it is a futile search for  information. Just because there is nearly no possibility of catching up with evolution, in the search for information about the brain doesn't mean we shouldn't try.

References:University of Chicago Medical Center. (2014, September 4). How the brain finds what it's looking for. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 8, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140904131144.htm