<p>I have worked with the theory that the column is the binary unit involved in all cortical processing and memory for many years. Articles are available at <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Robert_Moss2" rel="nofollow">my profile page (Robert Moss) at researchgate.net</a> and academia.com. The first article was <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/255969149_Of_bits_and_logic_Cortical_columns_in_learning_and_memory._The_Journal_of_Mind_and_Behavior_27_215-246?ev=prf_pub" rel="nofollow">published in 2006</a> with <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236145789_A_Theory_of_Hemispheric_Specialization_Based_on_Cortical_Columns?ev=prf_pub" rel="nofollow">an update in 2012</a>. I have published several non-peer-reviewed, more easily understandable articles that are also posted at those sites. <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262932793_The_Role_of_Dynamic_Columns_in_Explaining_Gamma-band_Synchronization_and_NMDA_Receptors_in_Cognitive_Functions" rel="nofollow">One major paper</a> has been recently published that explains the possible microcircuitry of dynamically formed columns.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-09T14:59:49.860Z
thx can you post a ref for a single survey article to start with
vzn
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-12T19:30:25.893Z
Link-only answers are discouraged on CogSci.SE. Would you mind providing quick summaries of the evidence and conclusions of the papers you link to?
Seanny123
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-13T18:48:49.447Z
I don't believe a link to one researcher's largely not peer reviewed and certainly not largely accepted answer does not constitute a proper answer.
jona
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-09T12:12:40.573Z
2016-01-12T19:37:03.363Z
2016-01-12T19:37:03.363Z
user4981
<p>The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Brain_Project" rel="nofollow">Blue Brain project</a> led by Henry Markram focused on simulating <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortical_column" rel="nofollow">cortical columns</a> under the idea they form basic processing units of the brain/cognitive function. </p>

<p><strong>What functional purpose does a cortical column serve?</strong></p>

<p>I am looking for (synapses) of mathematical, conceptual, &amp; scientific models. What is a leading theory, what is the evidence for it, etc?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-13T23:47:57.707Z
[Vernon Mountcastle](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernon_Benjamin_Mountcastle) was instrumental in the discovery of the cortical column.  I will elaborate a bit more later, but some of his older papers are probably freely available online.
Chuck Sherrington
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-14T07:44:00.107Z
How about starting with http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortical_column ?
H.Muster
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-14T17:35:48.247Z
@H.Muster I was actually going to make the same comment, but I was surprised by how uninformative that wikipedia article and the [discussion here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Brain_Project#Neocortical_column_modelling) were. In general, a quick Google search doesn't reveal an obvious definitive resource, either. Hence, it might be good to provide a canonical answer here if jonsca has time. Of course, I do wish that the OP would focus the question more, since it is pretty vague.
Artem Kaznatcheev
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-14T17:38:22.747Z
Here's an example of a [much better focused question on bio.SE](http://biology.stackexchange.com/q/1074/500).
Artem Kaznatcheev
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-14T17:58:58.087Z
the other question seems to be focused on mere _anatomy_
vzn
<neuroscience><theoretical-neuroscience><neural-network>
What functional purpose does a cortical column serve?
vzn
# What functional purpose does a cortical column serve?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-02-13)

The [Blue Brain project](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Brain_Project) led by Henry Markram focused on simulating [cortical columns](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortical_column) under the idea they form basic processing units of the brain/cognitive function.

**What functional purpose does a cortical column serve?**

I am looking for (synapses) of mathematical, conceptual, & scientific models. What is a leading theory, what is the evidence for it, etc?

**Tags:** neuroscience, theoretical-neuroscience, neural-network

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: [Vernon Mountcastle](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernon_Benjamin_Mountcastle) was instrumental in the discovery of the cortical column.  I will elaborate a bit more later, but some of his older papers are probably freely available online.  
> **username_2**: How about starting with http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortical_column ?  
> **username_3**: @username_2 I was actually going to make the same comment, but I was surprised by how uninformative that wikipedia article and the [discussion here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Brain_Project#Neocortical_column_modelling) were. In general, a quick Google search doesn't reveal an obvious definitive resource, either. Hence, it might be good to provide a canonical answer here if jonsca has time. Of course, I do wish that the OP would focus the question more, since it is pretty vague.  
> **username_3**: Here's an example of a [much better focused question on bio.SE](http://biology.stackexchange.com/q/1074/500).  
> **username_0**: the other question seems to be focused on mere _anatomy_  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2014-05-09. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

I have worked with the theory that the column is the binary unit involved in all cortical processing and memory for many years. Articles are available at [my profile page (Robert Moss) at researchgate.net](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Robert_Moss2) and academia.com. The first article was [published in 2006](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/255969149_Of_bits_and_logic_Cortical_columns_in_learning_and_memory._The_Journal_of_Mind_and_Behavior_27_215-246?ev=prf_pub) with [an update in 2012](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236145789_A_Theory_of_Hemispheric_Specialization_Based_on_Cortical_Columns?ev=prf_pub). I have published several non-peer-reviewed, more easily understandable articles that are also posted at those sites. [One major paper](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262932793_The_Role_of_Dynamic_Columns_in_Explaining_Gamma-band_Synchronization_and_NMDA_Receptors_in_Cognitive_Functions) has been recently published that explains the possible microcircuitry of dynamically formed columns.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: thx can you post a ref for a single survey article to start with  
> **username_5**: Link-only answers are discouraged on CogSci.SE. Would you mind providing quick summaries of the evidence and conclusions of the papers you link to?  
> **username_6**: I don't believe a link to one researcher's largely not peer reviewed and certainly not largely accepted answer does not constitute a proper answer.  

---

