Could Striate Cortex Microcolumns Serve as the Neural Correlates of Visual Consciousness?

Abstract

Neural circuit structure studies commonly focus on cell connectivity within circuits and not on the 3-D structure of the circuit itself. In part, this is due to the difficulty of identifying the three-dimensional structure of circuits containing hundreds to thousands of cells. However, given the importance of structurefunction relationships in biology, this approach may be missing valuable information related to the properties and activities of these circuits. A case in point being the well-known and studied striate cortex microcolumns found in several mammals. Within the Quantized Visual Awareness (QVA) hypothesis, the specific topology of these microcolumns is thought to be a key factor in determining the type of qualia produced by these neural circuits of the visual cortex. This communication serves as a gentle reminder that we may be overlooking important features of the circuits we study in our rush to understand circuit activity and physiology, especially as it relates to the neural correlates of visual consciousness.