Every Experience the Brain Perceives is Unique

Summary: A new study reports neural activity in the prefrontal cortex reacts as though every experience is brand new, even if the event is similar to ones that have previously occurred. Researchers say this could account for feelings of déjà vu.

Source: Medical University of Vienna.

Neuronal activity in the prefrontal cortex represents every experience as “novel.” The neurons adapt their activity accordingly, even if the new experience is very similar to a previous one. That is the main finding of a study conducted by researchers from MedUni Vienna’s Division of Cognitive Neurobiology and recently published in the leading journal Nature Communications.

“As far as the brain is concerned, every experience is unique, no matter how similar it is to an earlier one. The neurons in the prefrontal cortex will be active each time – just as if the experience was entirely new,” explains study author Hugo Malagon-Vina from the Division of Cognitive Neurobiology at MedUni Vienna’s Center for Brain Research. Potential neuronal activity “mismatching” during this process might lead to the phenomenon of déjà vu, explains Malagon-Vina.

This has now been demonstrated by the MedUni Vienna researchers for the first time, using an animal model. They recorded and analysed the activity of around 300 neurons.

Nothing is ever perceived in the same way twice

“Of course, there is memory,” says Malagon-Vina. “But the brain needs flexibility, so that it can constantly adapt. This is achieved by each event being perceived as new.” From a philosophical perspective, says the MedUni Vienna researcher, an analogous explanation is provided by a quote from the old Greek philosopher Heraclitus: “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” Malagon-Vina explains that “He (Heraclitus) was referring to the ambiguity that deliberate actions and plans are never perceived in the same way, no matter how similar they were to each other.”

a brain
Potential neuronal activity “mismatching” during this process might lead to the phenomenon of déjà vu, explains Malagon-Vina. Image adapted from the Medical University of Vienna news release.

At the same time, this flexibility, and the experience of uniqueness, allows people to experience feelings of joy or surprise, or the so-called “wow” effect, says Malagon-Vina. The results also show that the brain is able to perceive lifelong experiences as something new, so long as the neuronal activity is not impaired by a disease. According to the MedUni Vienna brain researcher, this is an argument in favour of staying mentally active into old age. Neurons are always ready to “adapt” in the face of new knowledge and to process new experiences as unique.

About this neuroscience research article

Source: Medical University of Vienna
Publisher: Organized by NeuroscienceNews.com.
Image Source: NeuroscienceNews.com image is adapted from the Medical University of Vienna news release.
Original Research: Open access research in Nature Communications.
DOI:10.1038/s41467-017-02764-x

Cite This NeuroscienceNews.com Article

[cbtabs][cbtab title=”MLA”]Medical University of Vienna “Every Experience the Brain Perceives is Unique.” NeuroscienceNews. NeuroscienceNews, 20 February 2018.
< https://neurosciencenews.com/experinece-perception-unique-8523/>.[/cbtab][cbtab title=”APA”]Medical University of Vienna (2018, February 20). Every Experience the Brain Perceives is Unique. NeuroscienceNews. Retrieved February 20, 2018 from https://neurosciencenews.com/experinece-perception-unique-8523/[/cbtab][cbtab title=”Chicago”]Medical University of Vienna “Every Experience the Brain Perceives is Unique.” https://neurosciencenews.com/experinece-perception-unique-8523/ (accessed February 20, 2018).[/cbtab][/cbtabs]


Abstract

Fluid network dynamics in the prefrontal cortex during multiple strategy switching

Coordinated shifts of neuronal activity in the prefrontal cortex are associated with strategy adaptations in behavioural tasks, when animals switch from following one rule to another. However, network dynamics related to multiple-rule changes are scarcely known. We show how firing rates of individual neurons in the prelimbic and cingulate cortex correlate with the performance of rats trained to change their navigation multiple times according to allocentric and egocentric strategies. The concerted population activity exhibits a stable firing during the performance of one rule but shifted to another neuronal firing state when a new rule is learnt. Interestingly, when the same rule is presented a second time within the same session, neuronal firing does not revert back to the original neuronal firing state, but a new activity-state is formed. Our data indicate that neuronal firing of prefrontal cortical neurons represents changes in strategy and task-performance rather than specific strategies or rules.

Feel free to share this Neuroscience News.
Join our Newsletter
I agree to have my personal information transferred to AWeber for Neuroscience Newsletter ( more information )
Sign up to receive our recent neuroscience headlines and summaries sent to your email once a day, totally free.
We hate spam and only use your email to contact you about newsletters. You can cancel your subscription any time.
  1. Neuroscience go alot deeper than what those of the brilliant minds will ever considered or even accept. . And it’s so funny cause it’s integrated to every component of the body all way to core.. that there is a pattern and so simplicity. . That reguRd less when a person is going thru a new life experience topic , I know for a fact there reactions pattern go too, are and will get one of the three and no Matt the person my studies have been proven sold prove that I even gone far as categorized and classifing and have a formual..

    The average and deluded are so easy to predict there neuron activity that its boring .. but abnormalities brains of gifted and pychopathic there more fun to play with at least they give some new slightly changes and new data..

    Neuroscience said it best to understand the brain we first need a full fuctionial abnormal brain before it development mental health illness and issues, but to do that society would have accept abnormal diversities …

  2. I highly disagree with article a neuron fire rates and structure and abilities and reaction and procedures of and animal brain complex mechanics may appear to you, I assure you that very simplicity compared a full functional Human brain complexity Machanics and that not eve a Drews the notion the diversity of abnormalities brain Macha nics can fuction and operate ..
    THAT it’s a scice fact that neurobiology pathogen is very new study and field mostly in theory and hypothesis and guessing could be but there is no actual hard core evidence. . To support these assumitions.. that in truth we truly don’t know..

    To say frontal lope treats every experience as new this half true and half not..

  3. No similar experiences can ever be the same because the massive sensory data input to the brain can never be the same no matter how similar individual experiences may seem. Data sorting will always have different patterns. Elementary, my dear Watson.

  4. Déjà vu is a result of visual experience taking two pathways. Path one directly to the subconscious and memory. Path two to the brain stem and then memory. If there’s a change of priorities to memory i.ee. the brain stem signals arrive before the usual path one, then memory will tell conscious mind that it already has the information and the normal path one is duplicating it. Simple, isn’t it!
    Two optic nerves also go directly to the brain stem.
    A brief change in brain chemistry can cause such an anomaly.

Comments are closed.