[pmayrgundter]

Ok, that's fair. That's i/o and yes, that's known to be highly linear by the time it gets to the efferent nerves, and makes sense it is before that as well. I think that still leaves the vast majority of the cortex using undefined mechanisms.

[whatshisface]

There's no need to hypothesize a wholly unique central nervous system signalling mechanism when, not only is the signalling mechanism of peripheral nerves understood, central nerves are observed doing the same thing.

[pmayrgundter]

I think it's fine as a hypothesis for the CNS, and my guess is it's correct for the spinal cord on up to the maybe the thalamus. But there the anatomy changes radically, as does the electrical activity.. eg the cluster waves (alpha, beta, theta) begin there and indicate some sort of group behaviors in various areas.

Afaik, we have correlative descriptions of what these waves indicate (importantly, they're associated with sleep, consciousness, attentiveness), but no direct mechanical model of them or a clear purpose. So yeah, spike timing could still be used at this level, but it seems other behaviors are also happening that may be more essential to the larger function.

[posterboy]

I do remember reading once that glia cells are not understood, and the something about how electro magnetic fields might also induce ... I do not remember it well because it wasn't very specific

The sentiment that synapses probably don't explain everything is rather common, anyhow. I'm thinking, the way the blood flow literally influences the relevant areas by transporting available energy for example, and neurotransmitters must be a very important point, and how those areas react in case of insufficiency would explain why I become nasty when tired and hungry at the same time.