The challenge for your brain is similar to what you’re faced with when trying to engage in conversation at a noisy cocktail party. You’re able to focus on the person you’re talking to and “mute” the other discussions. How does the human brain do it, distinguishing among billions of ongoing “conversations” within itself and locking on to a specific signal for delivery?
Neurons singing in harmony
Let’s take a moment to focus on just one of the hundreds of billions of nerve fibers in the human brain, of which many are typically active at any given point in time. They’re all doing their part to carry out thought processes that allow humans to function successfully and interact meaningfully with each other – supporting abilities such as orientation, attention, memory, problem-solving and executive function. The background noise in the brain stimulates a small population of other nerve fibers around our chosen nerve fiber to synchronize and transmit roughly the same message. This synchronization reduces the effect of the noise and improves the clarity of the signal.
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