I recently read “Vision and Art: The Biology of Seeing” by Margaret Livingstone, and I’ve just started diving into “Conscious MIND Resonant BRAiN” by Stephen Grossberg. As I was reading, my thoughts turned to Numenta’s Thousand Brains Theory, specifically focusing on grid cells within each mini-column of the neocortex.
Livingstone’s book highlights how visual information from the eyes is processed in distinct pathways: the “where” and “what” parts of the brain. The “where” pathway is responsible for spatial localization, helping us determine where objects are in our environment. Meanwhile, the “what” pathway processes information related to object recognition and identification.
Interestingly, Livingstone demonstrates how color perception plays a role in this process. In certain paintings, where colors have equal brightness (luminance), the brain perceives a subtle wiggle effect. This occurs because the brain relies on dark/bright contrast to figure out the “where” in an image. Color information, on the other hand, is primarily sent to the “what” area of the brain.
Now, let’s consider the role of grid cells. These specialized neurons are thought to play a crucial role in spatial navigation and mapping. They create a grid-like representation of our environment, helping us understand our position relative to objects around us.
Could grid cells be treated as data sent directly to the “where” part of the brain, rather than being distributed throughout every mini-column in the neocortex? This concept seems more logical, especially in light of Livingstone’s discussion on brain injuries. She notes that when the “where”region is compromised, individuals retain the ability to identify objects (“what”) yet struggle with locating them (“where”) or coordinating actions to interact with them.