Abstract
A complete neuroscience requires multi-level theories that address phenomena ranging from higher-level cognitive behaviors to activities within a cell. A levels-of-mechanism approach that decomposes a higher-level model of cognition and behavior into component mechanisms provides a coherent and richer understanding of the system than any level alone. Toward this end, we decomposed a cognitive model into neuron-like units using a neural flocking approach that parallels recurrent hippocampal activity. Neural flocking coordinates units that collectively form higher-level mental constructs. The decomposed model suggested how brain-scale neural populations coordinate to form assemblies encoding concept and spatial representations, and why so many neurons are needed for robust performance at the cognitive level. This multi-level explanation provides a way to understand how cognition and symbol-like representations are supported by coordinated neural populations (assemblies) formed through learning.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
Footnotes
Reverting back to original preprint (as journal doesn't allow updating after peer review)
