INFORMATIONAL SYNTHESIS IN CRUCIAL CORTIC AL AREA AS THE BRAIN BASE OF THE SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCE

The main hypothesis developed in the paper proposes that the events of the subjective experience emerge as a result of the synthesis of thre e kinds of information in crucial for this mental function cortical ar eas. This information includes sensory one, information derived from m emory and one coming from motivational centers. The hypothesis is base d on researches of the brain mechanisms of perception and thinking. It has been shown that the sensation emerges as a result of the synthesi s of information on physical parameters and of significance of the sti mulus in the projection cortex neurons. This synthesis is provided by the circular spreading of the nerve impulses from the projection corte x to associative cortex, then to hippocampus and the hypothalamic moti vation centers with the subsequent return of the impulsation to the pr ojection cortex. It have been shown also that at thinking operations t he cortical connections converge to definite centers named the interac tion foci. Their topography is specific for particular thinking operat ions. Thus in imaginative thinking the foci are located in temporopari etal and in abstract-verbal thinking - in frontal cortex. It is propos ed that the confrontation and the synthesis of information in the inte raction foci result in decision making. The last part of the paper con cerns the functional role of the subjective events and their possible influence on brain processes.