Brains = Computers?
Do our Brains operate like a Computer?
Digital computers operate by turning electrical signals into binary “on and off” states and flexibly manipulating these states by using switches. You can find the same operating principles in the brain:
The neurons in the prefrontal cortex are binary – they have two states, either active or inactive – and the basal ganglia is essentially a big switch that allows you to dynamically turn on and off different parts of the prefrontal cortex.
The brain as a whole operates more like a social network than a digital computer, with neurons communicating to allow learning and the creation of memory.
The computer-like features of the prefrontal cortex broaden the social networks, helping the brain become more flexible in processing novel and symbolic information.
