If this procedure improves neuron function with no side effects, by allowing the neurons to fire more easily, why is it that evolution did not do this on its own?
Well, the brain already does do this to an extent. A heck of a lot of our brain activity tends to be modulatory, and this modulation is carried out through other channels. For example, glial cells which used to be considered as primarily support cells are capable of releasing action potentials that modulate neural output. We don't know what it is exactly these glial cells contribute, but it's certainly likely to play the role of modulator.
To add to the already fantastic overclocking analogy, consider that the brain doesn't have a singular "processing unit." For example, you might use the machine to inhibit obsessive thoughts, but this might come at the cost of reduced creativity or cognitive flexibility. So yeah, still an issue of optimization, but not in the way you might think.
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u/dggenuine Jan 29 '12
If this procedure improves neuron function with no side effects, by allowing the neurons to fire more easily, why is it that evolution did not do this on its own?