X-Message-Number: 24077
Date: Sun, 9 May 2004 09:35:15 -0400
From: Thomas Donaldson <>
Subject: CryoNet #24060 - #24068

Hi everyone!

It looks like I'll be too busy to enter into any Cryonet discussions
for a while. You see, I'm once more deeply into putting together another
issue of PERIASTRON.

I will say that I have a source for statistics on brains, such as the
number of neurons (which turns out to be estimated for human brains
as 10^12 (not 10^10), number of synapses 10^15. It's THE COMPUTATIONAL
BRAIN, by PS Churchland and TJ Sejnowski. Make of these numbers what
you want. I will note that the point that our neurons individually
and the number of neurons can both increase and decrease as we 
conduct our lives as ordinary humans --- not pathologically at all ---
this point seems not to be discussed in this book. It may have only
become strong after its publication, though it wasn't published all
that long ago (1992). Right now NO neuroscientist would deny that
we grow new neurons in our dentate gyrus (part of our hippocampus)
and from the lining of our brain ventricles; and that at least some
new neurons actually survive and take up the role of neurons. There
is still argument about how extensive and important this phenomenon
may be. Are those who argue against this idea desperately holding
onto old truths, or continuing to hold out against modern fads?
We will see.

And if you want to continue arguing with me about how brains work, please
be patient. I don't throw away any Cryonets just because I don't have 
time to read them.

            Best wishes and long long life for all,

                 Thomas Donaldson

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