How the brain works? (Layman’s term)

Currently, I am working in spiking neural networks — the third generation of neural networks — which are designed to behave and process information the way a human brain does.

Therefore, I’ve decided to write a simple note on how the brain works in layman’s terms…

First, we need to know these simple truths (facts):

• The brain is used to store information (knowledge and events).
• We are able to retrieve information stored in the brain.
• Retrieval of information, however, does not allow the exact data to be “rehearsed or replayed” from the brain, but rather an approximation; it is retrieved through a process called memory reconstruction.

Additional knowledge:

• Reconstruction of memory allows the brain to consume less storage space to store an event. Several similar events and pieces of knowledge are stored in a similar, but specific, location in the brain.
• Connectivity among several adjacent neurons triggers memories or “senses” to be processed and understood.

Hence, to sum it up, the brain works like this (a romantic story):

1. Our sensory organs receive stimuli from our surroundings. For example, you’re looking at a beautiful young lady in a decent blue dress.
2. That “knowledge” is sent to your brain by a connective neuron tissue called the spinal cord (which is located in the middle of your backbone).
3. The received knowledge of the event is then processed by the brain. One part of the brain learns that it is a beautiful lady in a decent blue dress that you are looking at. Another part might try to retrieve your previous similar memory, if it exists.
4. …then you go back home and go to sleep…
5. The next morning, you come across a beautiful friend of yours, and that reminds you of the young lady you saw yesterday — but you can’t exactly recall her face. Why does this happen? The same part of the brain that processed the image of the lady is reactivated when you see a similar image (your beautiful friend). Your brain is capable of reconstructing the memory, but not reproducing the exact image.
6. By using memory reconstruction, the brain not only saves space but also gains the ability to predict or project future events. Nearby connected neurons will be activated in such cases.