Hypotheses relating to the function of the claustrum
Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience May 22, 2014 John eSmythies, Lawrence eEdelstein, Vilayanur eRamachandran
The claustrum likely functions as a detector and integrator of synchrony in the axonal trains of its afferent inputs. An unexpected stimulus sets up a processed signal to the sensory cortex that initiates a focus of synchronized gamma oscillations. This focus may interact with a general alerting signal from the reticular formation via cholinergic mechanisms and with other salient activations in sensory pathways relayed to the cortex. This activity is relayed to the claustrum, which processes inputs through multiple competitive intra-claustral synchronized oscillations at different frequencies. It then modulates synchronized outputs distributed to most cortical and many subcortical structures, including motor cortex. Reverberating claustro-cortical loops potentiate weak intracortical synchronizations via connected strong intraclaustral synchronizations, possibly playing a role in the neural correlates of consciousness and control of voluntary behavior.