To understand the function of the neocortex, which is a hierarchical distributed network, it is useful giving meaning to the signals transmitted between these areas from the computational viewpoint. The overall anatomical structure or organs related to this network, including the neocortex, thalamus, and basal ganglia, has been roughly revealed, and much physiological knowledge, though often fragmentary, is being accumulated. The computational theories involving the neocortex have also been developed considerably. By introducing the assumption “The signals transmitted by interarea axonal projections of pyramidal cells in the neocortex carry different meanings for each cell type, common to all areas,” derived from its nature as a distributed network in the neocortex, allows us to specify the computational meanings of interarea signals. In this paper, first, the types of signals exchanged between neocortical areas are investigated, taking into account biological constraints, and employing theories such as predictive coding, reinforcement learning, representation emulation theory, and BDI logic as theoretical starting points, two types of feedforward signals (observation and deviation) and three types of feedback signals (prediction, plan, and intention) are identified. Next, based on the anatomical knowledge of the neocortex and thalamus, the pathways connecting the areas are organized and summarized as three corticocortical pathways and two thalamocortical pathways. Using this summation as preparation, this paper proposes a hypothesis that gives meaning to each type of signals transmitted in the different pathways in the neocortex, from the viewpoint of their functions. This hypothesis reckons that the feedforward corticocortical pathway transmits observation signals, the feedback corticocortical pathway transmits prediction signals, and the corticothalamic pathway mediated by core relay cells transmits deviation signals. The thalamocortical pathway, which is mediated by matrix relay cells, would be responsible for transmitting the signals that activate a part of prediction signals as intentions, due to the reason that the nature of the other available feedback pathways are not sufficient for conveying plans and intentions as signals. The corticocortical pathway, which is projected from various IT cells to the first layer, would be responsible for transmitting signals that activate a part of prediction signals as plans.

中文翻译：

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揭示新皮质区域间信号的计算意义

为了理解作为分层分布式网络的新皮质的功能，从计算的角度赋予这些区域之间传输的信号以意义是很有用的。与这个网络相关的整体解剖结构或器官，包括新皮质、丘脑和基底神经节，已经被粗略地揭示出来，许多生理学知识虽然经常是零碎的，但正在积累。涉及新皮质的计算理论也得到了相当大的发展。通过引入假设“由新皮质中锥体细胞的区域间轴突投影传输的信号对每种细胞类型具有不同的含义，对所有区域都具有相同的意义”，源自其作为新皮质中分布式网络的性质，允许我们指定计算区域间信号的含义。本文首先研究了新皮层区域之间交换的信号类型，考虑到生物约束，并以预测编码、强化学习、表征仿真理论、BDI 逻辑等理论为理论出发点，两种类型的前馈识别信号（观察和偏差）和三种类型的反馈信号（预测、计划和意图）。接下来，根据新皮质和丘脑的解剖学知识，将连接区域的通路组织起来，归纳为三个皮质皮质通路和两个丘脑皮质通路。以此总结作为准备，本文提出了一个假设，从其功能的角度，赋予在新皮层不同通路中传输的每种类型的信号以意义。该假说认为前馈皮质通路传递观察信号，反馈皮质通路传递预测信号，核心中继细胞介导的皮质丘脑通路传递偏差信号。由矩阵中继细胞介导的丘脑皮层通路将负责传递激活部分预测信号的信号作为意图，因为其他可用的反馈通路的性质不足以传达计划和意图作为信号。从各种 IT 细胞投射到第一层的皮质皮质通路将负责传输信号，将部分预测信号激活为计划。反馈皮质皮质通路传递预测信号，核心中继细胞介导的皮质丘脑通路传递偏差信号。由矩阵中继细胞介导的丘脑皮层通路将负责传递激活部分预测信号的信号作为意图，因为其他可用的反馈通路的性质不足以传达计划和意图作为信号。从各种 IT 细胞投射到第一层的皮质皮质通路将负责传输信号，将部分预测信号激活为计划。反馈皮质皮质通路传递预测信号，核心中继细胞介导的皮质丘脑通路传递偏差信号。由矩阵中继细胞介导的丘脑皮层通路将负责传递激活部分预测信号的信号作为意图，因为其他可用的反馈通路的性质不足以传达计划和意图作为信号。从各种 IT 细胞投射到第一层的皮质皮质通路将负责传输信号，将部分预测信号激活为计划。由于其他可用反馈通路的性质不足以将计划和意图作为信号传达，因此由矩阵中继单元介导的将负责传输激活部分预测信号的信号作为意图。从各种 IT 细胞投射到第一层的皮质皮质通路将负责传输信号，将部分预测信号激活为计划。由于其他可用反馈通路的性质不足以将计划和意图作为信号传达，因此由矩阵中继单元介导的将负责传输激活部分预测信号的信号作为意图。从各种 IT 细胞投射到第一层的皮质皮质通路将负责传输信号，将部分预测信号激活为计划。