Cognition and consciousness arise from analog computations, says new theory

A new theory published in The Journal of Neuroscience suggests that cognition and consciousness arise from analog computations performed by traveling waves of rhythmic neural activity in the brain. Lead author Earl K. Miller, a Picower Professor at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, argues that the brain's circuits and synapses - which store memories and goals - are insufficient for rapid, real-time decision-making in an ever-changing sensory environment.

Instead, brain waves coordinate millions of neurons to process information in a fraction of a second. Analog computation, which processes multiple calculations simultaneously, is more efficient than digital computation and is a natural feature of the brain. The brain's mixed selectivity, where neurons participate in multiple functional networks, provides the computational horsepower to generate nimble thought.

Different brain waves control cognitive processes such as working memory and predictive coding, with slower alpha and beta waves regulating faster gamma waves that represent incoming sensory information. The theory proposes that alpha/beta control waves emerge from the coordinated spiking of neurons in circuits and can rapidly influence neural spiking via electric fields, allowing for spatial and temporal computation.

When these dynamic wave patterns integrate widely across the cortex, consciousness emerges. The authors suggest that manipulating brain wave dynamics could lead to clinical treatments, such as those observed in general anesthesia studies.