Page 146 - Darwin's Dilemma: The Soul

Darwin’s Dilemma: The Soul

other neurons. The places where these neurons contact are
known as synapses, the points where information exchanges
take place.
According to Professor Ramachandran, “the number of possi-
ble permutations and combinations of brain activity, in other
words the number of brain states, exceeds the number of elemen-
tary particles in the known universe.” 84
A nerve cell in the brain possesses all the structures necessary
to maintain for the cell’s metabolism, for it to digest proteins and
perform all the needed functions.
A neuron has branched extensions, known as dendrites.
Dendrites’ greatest function is to receive electromagnetic messages
from other neurons and to transmit them to the cell body.
Dendrites are relatively thick at the point where they leave the cell
body, but then progressively divide into tens, or even hundreds of
branches that then become thinner and thinner. The number of
dendrites varies, depending on the function of the cell.

Each neuron in the brain makes up to 10,000
contacts with other neurons. The places where
they contact are known as synapses, which are
the places where information is exchanged.
The number of the possible permutations and
combinations of this cerebral exchange ex-
ceeds that of all the elementary particles in the
known universe.

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