The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-13
PHYSIOLOGY OF THE BRAIN.
Centers of Associatfon-A Remarkable
Discovery.

Discovery.
Berlin Letter, in London Standard.
In the physiology of the brain a step
forward has lately been taken which
renders the problem of intellectual ac-
tivity considerably more Ineligible.
The Leipsic specialist for diseases of
the mind, Professor F1echSig, at present
rector of the university, has lately dis
covered that within the surface of the
cerebrum four connected completes are
definable, closely resembling one an
other, but essentially differing from the
other parts of the cerebrum. in the tenn
poral lobe, and in the hinder parietal
lobe. and in the lobule. The extraordi-
nary development of these centers es-
sentially distinguishes the human brain
from that of the lower animals. Flech-
sig calls them intellectual centers." or
"centerS of association because they
concentrate the activities of the organs
of sense into higher units.
These centerS do not exist in new
born children. Not till months later,
when all the rest CT the cerebral sub
stance has become modulated, do these
centerS, with which the child begins to
think, develop. The ''centerS of asSocia-
ton are connected by numerous sys-
TENS of fbers. Flechsig draws a con-
trast between them and the ''centers of
sense the centerS of sight, hearing,
smell, touch, ETC., which produce lower
units. They receive the perceptions
which are conveyed to the brain by the
external organs of sense. In the CEN
tiers of sense originates sensation. 1t is
only In the centerS of association, how
ever, with which they are connected by
innumerable nerve fbers. that their con-
tents are converted into thoughts. The
activity of the centers of sense is di-
rected outward; that is, they receive
the impulse to the exercise of their func-
tons from without. The centers of as
ISOLATION, on the other hand, only es-
tablish the intellectual link between
the centerS of sense; they elaborate the
impressions of the senses, their actiy-
1ty is directed wholly inward, they are
the bearers of all that we call ex-
perience, knowledge, cogniZance. princi-
pies, and higher feelings, and also of
languages.
The Importance of these centers APP
pears very clearly if we follow their
development in newborn children. When
the inner development of the centers of
sense is completed after the third
month. the intellectual centers begin
gradually to form, and more and more
nerve fbers shoot forth from the center
OF sense into those new regions, ending
close to n another in the cerebral
cortex. Only about one-third of the
cerebral cortex is directly connected
with those of the nerve fbers, on which
consciousness of SenSory impressions de-
ponds; two-thirds of the cerebral cortex
have nothing to do with this function.
but serve the higher purpose of the
centefS OF association The organ of
the mind, says Flechsig, distinctly shows
a collegiate constitution; it's %counselors
are grouped in two Senates. the men,
of one of which bear the names such as
sight, hearing, ETC., while those of the
others are called centers of associa-
ton.
The latter. however. are. like the for
mer, not of equal Importance. In COM
plicated intellectual work, indeed, they
pr rbly w, X all four together. but
pathological experience shows us that
one center may be intact, while an
other is disturbed; the for
instance, may be confused, while the
apprehension of the outer world is not
yet p~erceptably altered; or, on the other
hand, the language may seem correct,
whereas the conceptions combine to
form utterly senSeless decisions. The
power of expressing knowledge by Ian
guage evidently depends upon another
center than the power of grasping the
natural connection of things. Mental
diseases are caused by the destruction
of the centers of association. Thus
FIechsig has proved that so-calIed soft
ening of the brain (dementia paralytica)
is restricted for the most part to altera-
tions in the intellectual regions, and is
caused by atrophy of the nerve fbers.
Therefore. the thoughts get into con-
fused enlargement, the power of re-
membering is lost. and the mind pro-
duces new and strange images.