The Neurobiology of Imagination: Possible Role of Interaction-Dominant Dynamics and Default Mode Network

Abstract

This work aims at presenting some hypotheses about the potential neurobiological substrate of imagery and imagination. For the present purposes, we will define imagery as the production of mental images associated with previous percepts, and imagination as the faculty of forming mental images of a novel character relating to something that has never been actually experienced by the subject but at a great extent emerges from his inner world. The two processes appear intimately related and imagery can arguably be considered as one of the main components of imagination. In this proposal, we argue that exaptation and redeployment, two basic concepts capturing important aspects of the evolution of biological structures and functions (Anderson, 2007), could also be useful in explaining imagery and imagination. As far as imagery is concerned it is proposed that neural structures originally implicated in performing certain functions, e.g., motor actions, can be reused for the imagery of the virtual execution of that function. As far as imagination is concerned we speculate that it can be the result of a “tinkering” that combines and modifies stored perceptual information and concepts leading to the creation of novel “mental objects” that are shaped by the subject peculiar inner world. Hence it is related to his self-awareness. The neurobiological substrate of the tinkering process could be found in a hierarchical model of the brain characterized by a multiplicity of functional modules (FMs) that can be assembled according to different spatial and temporal scales. Thus, it is surmised that a possible mechanism for the emergence of imagination could be represented by modulatory mechanisms controlling the perviousness of “modifiers” along the communication channels within and between FMs leading to their dynamically reassembling into novel configurations.

Directed Imagination: A Procedure for Improving Self-concept in Persons with Leprosy

“…Similar results were identified in our study, given that the technique employed favored the learning of new forms of conduct based on imagination as a process used by the brain to acquire knowledge that undoubtedly plays an important role in the psychic homeostasis [6].…”

“…Imagination is understood as the capacity of persons to form mental images based on their self-concept that are related to something they have never really experienced themselves, but that, to a great extent, is a product of their inner world [6].…”

The multi-facet aspects of cell sentience and their relevance for the integrative brain actions: role of membrane protein energy landscape

“…Thus, humans may have emergent capabilities (such as a complex 'predictive psychic homeostasis'; Agnati et al, 2011Agnati et al, , 2013 owing to the presence of multimeric proteins complexes exploring their energy landscape in a peculiar way and walking towards new types of attractors (Agnati et al, 2013). It could also be surmised that either alterations in the exploration of their energy landscape by these special classes of plasma membrane proteins or their walking towards inappropriate attractors might alter not only cell sentience but also the integrative actions of neuronal networks.…”

On the role of the extracellular space on the holistic behavior of the brain

“…This adds an additional level of complexity to interactions between astrocyte domains that may extend over large areas including the entire neocortex. Thus, these domaindomain interconnections can lead to the formation of different and very large BCs, with the emergence of new integrative actions of these 'contraptions' (see Jacob, 1977;Anderson, 2010;Agnati et al, 2013). It has been pointed out that astrocytes receive signals from synaptic contacts, and also receive multiple signals and homeostatic information from different cellular sources, including neurons, vascular cells, other astrocytes, and even different types of glial cells (see the concept of NVU).…”