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Morphogenesis and mental process

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 October 2008

Jason W. Brown*
Affiliation:
New York University Medical Center, Department of Neurology
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Jason W. Brown, 66 East 79th Street, New York, NY 10021.

Abstract

Parcellation and heterochrony (neoteny) reflect the pattern and rate of a growth mechanism in morphogenesis. Structure (morphology) and function (behavior) are staged realizations of morphogenetic process. This process continues into adult cognition in the actualization of the mind/brain state. Parcellation obtains in the pruning of cells and connections in early growth, whereas inhibition obtains in a relatively stable morphology with constraints on context: item transforms in microgeny. Selective retardation in process (neoteny) leads to growth at earlier (juvenile) phases. This accounts for the specification of the language areas and elaboration at preliminary phases in mind — for example, dominance, introspection, and creativity.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

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