“Mind The Map” is a speculative project that attempts to fill the gap between neuroscience and psychology, questioning how would it feel to see one’s own unconscious mind coming to light as their brain unfolds. It is inspired by Freud’s theory on consciousness and layers of awareness, adopting archaeological site mapping and statigraphy methods.
" An interdisciplinary team of neuroscientists and engineers found a new brain-scan extension to MRI which reveals the mystery of consciousness. Scientists discovered the top layer of gray matter includes a detailed map of mind, consisting of conscious, preconscious and unconscious stratigraphic layers.
Grey matter is a major component of the central nervous system, present in the brain, brainstem and cerebellum, consisting of neuronal cell bodies, neuropil, glial cells, synapses, and capillaries. It is distinguished from white matter in that it contains numerous cell bodies and relatively few myelinated axons, while white matter contains relatively few cell bodies and is composed chiefly of long-range myelinated axons.
Grey matter is a major component of the central nervous system, present in the brain, brainstem and cerebellum, consisting of neuronal cell bodies, neuropil, glial cells, synapses, and capillaries. It is distinguished from white matter in that it contains numerous cell bodies and relatively few myelinated axons, while white matter contains relatively few cell bodies and is composed chiefly of long-range myelinated axons.
The colour difference arises mainly from the whiteness of myelin. In living tissue, grey matter actually has very light grey colour with yellowish or pinkish hues, which come from capillary blood vessels and neuronal cell bodies.
Grey matter undergoes development and growth throughout childhood and adolescence. However, the density of grey matter appears to increase as a child develops into early adulthood. Males tend to exhibit grey matter of increased volume but lower density than that of females.
Grey matter undergoes development and growth throughout childhood and adolescence. However, the density of grey matter appears to increase as a child develops into early adulthood. Males tend to exhibit grey matter of increased volume but lower density than that of females.
The latest studies also prove the Freudian archaeologic view. Freud was very interested in archaeological research as of the preservation of traces of a past that had become unconscious. The methods of the archaeological dig and those of psychoanalytical investigation follows a similar evolution, consisting in shifting the focus of interest from a privileged object that will be excavated to a gradual discovery of the terrain (stratigraphic method), through which it is possible to trace the thread of history back to its origins step by step. Interest in these vestiges, which constitute “a history without a text”, intersects the work of reconstruction that takes place during analysis.
Initial tests of this new MRI extension have been done on a volunteer from London who mentioned the results as “shockingly accurate” in her testimonials. "
