"Hierarchy or Heterarchy? A Theory of Long-Range Connections for the Sensorimotor Brain" (2025-07) https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.05888
> Abstract: [...] The key to our proposal is what we call the “Thousand Brains Theory”, which posits that every cortical column is a sensorimotor learning system. Columns learn by integrating sensory input over multiple movements of a sensor. In this view, even primary and secondary regions, such as V1 and V2, can learn and recognize complete 3D objects. This suggests that the hierarchical connections between regions are used to learn the compositional structure of parent objects composed of smaller child objects. We explain the theory by examining the different types of long-range connections between cortical regions and between the neocortex and thalamus. We describe these connections, and then suggest the specific roles they play in the context of a heterarchy of sensorimotor regions. We also suggest that the thalamus plays an essential role in transforming the pose between objects and sensors. The novel perspective we argue for here has broad implications for both neuroscience and artificial intelligence.
Is self attention sufficient to model a Hierarchical Recurrent BNN?
A better VEP Visual Evoked Potential test for pediatric ophthalmology - to tell whether and how well infants can see - could be one practical external benefit of further study of neural topology of the optic nerve and the visual cortex
westurner•5mo ago
From https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41905326 :
> From https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40105068#40107537 re: cognitive hierarchy and specialization :
>> But FWIU none of these models of cognitive hierarchy or instruction are informed by newer developments in topological study of neural connectivity;
- Cortical columns
- The brain is at most 11D: 11 Dimensional
"Two-dimensional neural geometry underpins hierarchical organization of sequence in human working memory" (2024) https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-024-02047-8 .. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42084285
"Hierarchical Reasoning Mode" https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44702554
"Hierarchy or Heterarchy? A Theory of Long-Range Connections for the Sensorimotor Brain" (2025-07) https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.05888
> Abstract: [...] The key to our proposal is what we call the “Thousand Brains Theory”, which posits that every cortical column is a sensorimotor learning system. Columns learn by integrating sensory input over multiple movements of a sensor. In this view, even primary and secondary regions, such as V1 and V2, can learn and recognize complete 3D objects. This suggests that the hierarchical connections between regions are used to learn the compositional structure of parent objects composed of smaller child objects. We explain the theory by examining the different types of long-range connections between cortical regions and between the neocortex and thalamus. We describe these connections, and then suggest the specific roles they play in the context of a heterarchy of sensorimotor regions. We also suggest that the thalamus plays an essential role in transforming the pose between objects and sensors. The novel perspective we argue for here has broad implications for both neuroscience and artificial intelligence.
Is self attention sufficient to model a Hierarchical Recurrent BNN?
A better VEP Visual Evoked Potential test for pediatric ophthalmology - to tell whether and how well infants can see - could be one practical external benefit of further study of neural topology of the optic nerve and the visual cortex