Questions answered by Andy & Jeff

TMS = transcranial magnetic stimulation

Blinded or blindfolded people - this frees up processing capacity in the visual cortex, some of which is used for other types of sensory processing

In deaf people, the auditory cortex probably does something

Same parts of brain for thinking about something, and perceiving it. So thinking about something during a dream may helpyou perceive it when you're awake

During sleep, the memory-forming hippocampus is more-active
Sleep is mental regeneration (see above), as well as physical regeneration

Cramming - does not work for long-term retention

Eye -->LGN --> V1 --> V2 --> V3 --> V4 --> V5
Not always a linear pathway, there are some connections that skip/go backwards in this chain.

The different V's process somewhat different types of signals (have different capacities), but these roles are interconencted. (Removing V4 doesn't

LGN - laterogenetic nucleus of the thalamus

Allan Cowe - vision experiments on monkeys

The brain is to some extent a dynamic self-repairing system

At a certain point, the things [experiments] we want to do are illegal or unethical - Andy Herbert
Don't overdo the computer analogies here in brain psychology

SOme optical illusions are the result of the brain taking necessary processing shortcuts

"Is what we see really there?" - That gets into philosophy

Integrating the senses is important - Sense A compensates for a weakness of Sense B
Normally, the senses paint a complementary picture...very disorienting when they don't

Contrast sensitivity - vision of shadows vs. vision of discrete objects
Different among different species, because different species need visions systems adapted to their different environment

Can see what capacity is missing when a certain section of the brain is gone.
First started relazing this en masse with Civil War musketball-to-the-head injuries

Cortex has higher-order roles than things like the thalamus. Things liek the thalamus handle basic body functions for the most part.

Drugs,and not just the funky illegal ones - have effect on neurotrasmitters.

Range of visual sensitivity amongst normal humans
This may explain how a lot of drugs produce haalucinations and the like