Spike trains and kinase II for a digital model of long term memory (An exercise in evolutionary constraints)
Marchetti, C., 2000 Human Evolution, Vol. 15 - N.3-4, p.187-197 Abstract Memory is the repetition of an event and this requires re-firing a sufficient number of neurons that did participate to the event. We assume that an event is identified by a digital code sealed into a molecular counter, kinase II, capable of taking billions of configurations.
We also assume that spike trains represent numbers in binary notation that are able to code and decode kinase II. Coding means that a number is imprinted by setting kinase II in a certain configuration, decoding means activating kinase IIcarrying that number in order to liberate Ca2+ via Calmodulin and open the various segments of circuit where it is located.
We assume that coded kinase II is stored in dendritic spines, adjacent to synapses, that protect it from metabolic destruction of the coding. The model easily interprets the fact that the same optical or olfactory stimuli will induce identical spike trains. Because identification requires the re-opening of a specific memory. So the smell of a rose must open the circuit of the rosesmell via the appropriate spike train.
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