In <a href=neuropages.html#markram>this page</a>, I quote from of the
EFPL that "A neocortical column contains several thousand neurons
interconnected in a precise and intricate manner." (The page with
quote gone by now). I tried to ask their leader, Markram,  about it.

<p>

Below is Henry Markram's response to my e-mail (exact text). Less
blunt than the quote above, but still tries to mislead.
"characteristic pattern" is vague enough that with some plausible
interpretations it is not false, but the natural interpretation of
"<i>very</i> characteristic pattern" suggests that you can predict
connections from one circuit to another pretty accurately, which is
false.  <p>


[21 jan 2005] He may have a change of heart. In <a
href=http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/102/3/880>this new
article</a> (Kalisman, Silberberg an Markram, PNAS | January 18, 2005
| vol. 102 | no. 3 | 880-885) they claim to "..provide the first
direct experimental evidence for a tabula rasa-like structural matrix
between neocortical pyramidal neurons..". So maybe there isn't a specifc plan? Interestingly, the statement about "..interconnected in  a precise.." is still in their web page, even in their <a href=http://bmi.epfl.ch/LNMC.html>newer page</a>. 
<p>

<pre>

From:  Henry Markram <henry.markram_epfl.ch>
To:  Yehouda Harpaz <yh@maldoo.com>
Subject:  Re: "precise interconnections"
Date:  Tue, 01 Apr 2003 12:40:52 +0200
Dear Yehouda,

The neocortical microcircuit is constructed with synaptic connections
(defined as several synaptic contacts) between neurons exhibiting a very
characteristic pattern according to the types of neurons connected. There is
also a non-random selection of target cells by any particular cell which is
characteristic. So there is clearly a specific plan - just how precise it is
we still do not know.

All the best,

Henry


> Dear Professor Henry Markram,
>
> I just read this in your page http://sv.epfl.ch/sv_LNMC.html :
>
> A neocortical column contains several thousand neurons
> interconnected in a precise and intricate manner.
>
> What does "precise" mean here? Does it mean the interconnections
> follow some specific plan?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Yehouda Harpaz
>
>
</pre>