Douglas D. Burman

NorthShore University HealthSystem

Douglas D. Burman obtained a Ph.D. in Anatomy (Neuroscience) from the University of Illinois Chicago, USA, in 1987. He completed his postgraduate studies at Yale University, Connecticut, USA, and Northwestern University, Illinois, USA. He is currently Director Emeritus of functional MRI (fMRI) services at NorthShore University Health System, Illinois, USA. Dr. Burman is skilled in electrophysiology, cognitive behavior, fMRI (activation, connectivity), and DTI fiber tracking. He has more than fifty scientific publications to his credit.

2books edited

3chapters authored

Latest work with IntechOpen by Douglas D. Burman

During the last half century, several scientific theories have been developed to explain experimental findings related to our conscious experiences, particularly those involving perceptual awareness. The adequacy and philosophical implications of these theories have been debated fiercely by both scientists and philosophers, including their adequacy in explaining the subjective nature of consciousness. The adequacy of theoretical models has been controversial in part because there is no consensus on the definition of consciousness itself. This book proposes a new model of consciousness based on a prescribed definition for one of several conscious states of consciousness known as the “normal alert state.” This state is inclusive of all characteristics associated with an alert individual unaffected by disease or injury, including awareness of the sensory environment, memory, learning, attention to location and sensory features, language, emotional responses, intentional movements, decision-making, creativity, and a sense of self. Through its interactions with other brain regions essential for these diverse functions, the model posits a central executive role for the hippocampus; qualia, the subjective feelings associated with sensory stimuli, is suggested to arise from hippocampal interactions between events and the emotional responses they evoke. The book offers methods for testing the model. In several respects, this model of hippocampal function is analogous to the “central theater of the mind” described by Descartes, a concept that philosophers and scientists previously discarded due to false assumptions. The model presented brings together observations about our inner selves and scientific findings, using analogies and life experiences to illustrate how each can inform the other; evidence suggests disruptions in information flow between the hippocampus and other brain regions may explain many neurological disorders. The book also discusses the philosophical implications of the model, including such topics as free will and the possibility of sentience in artificial intelligence.

Go to the book

Normal Alert Consciousness

Authored by Douglas D. Burman

Books edited

Hippocampus

Edited by Douglas D. Burman

Chapters authored

Hippocampal Influences on Movements, Sensory, and Language Processing: A Role in Cognitive Control?

By Douglas D. Burman

Beyond its established role in declarative memory function, the hippocampus has been implicated in varied roles in sensory processing and cognition, particularly those requiring temporal or spatial context. Disentangling its known role in memory from other cognitive functions can be challenging, as memory is directly or indirectly involved in most conscious activities, including tasks that underlie most experimental investigations. Recent work from this lab has examined the directional influence from the hippocampus on cortical areas involved in task performance, including tasks requiring movements, sensory processing, or language judgments. The hippocampus shows preferential connectivity with relevant cortical areas, typically the region critically involved in task performance, raising the possibility that the hippocampus plays a role in cognitive control. Minimal criteria for a role in cognitive control are proposed, and hippocampal connectivity with sensorimotor cortex during a non-mnemonic motor task is shown to meet this standard. Future directions for exploration are discussed.

Part of the book: Hippocampus

Introductory Chapter: A Brief Survey of the Functional Roles of the Hippocampus

By Douglas D. Burman

Part of the book: Hippocampus

Normal Alert Consciousness: A Central Executive Model of Hippocampal Function

By Douglas D. Burman

The relationship between brain and consciousness has been debated since Descartes in the 1500s, new theories arising in the twentieth century with the development of modern neuroscience. All are controversial due to the lack of consensus on the definition of consciousness, what cognitive properties must be explained, and how to evaluate sentience. Most theoretical explanations bear little relationship to our inner conscious experiences. In the current monograph, the normal alert state of consciousness is defined, and components to be explained are delineated. Debunking misconceptions from previous theories and presenting new evidence, a model is proposed whereby the hippocampus plays a central role in executing and coordinating cognitive functions associated with normal alert consciousness. Key elements of the model reflect recent findings that the combined effect from the left and right hippocampus influences other regions involved in performing many or all cognitive tasks while filtering out irrelevant information. Methods are described for testing the model. Finally, implications are discussed for a variety of neurological disorders and philosophophical issues, including free will and the possibility of sentience in artificial intelligence.

Part of the book: Normal Alert Consciousness

Douglas D. Burman

Latest work with IntechOpen by Douglas D. Burman

Normal Alert Consciousness

Books edited

Hippocampus

Chapters authored

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