Autocoscienza e comunicazione.

A brief analysis is proposed about the possible interactions between consciousness and communication as far as the human being is concerned. The communication processes in the brain are analysed in the frame of the concept of micro-circuit (or Functional Module, FM) that is of the elementary processing unit formed by cells arranged into specific patterns and capable of carrying out the information processing characteristic of a given brain region. Agnati and Fuxe (1982) proposed the view that each FM was organized as a Russian Doll of computational elements forming ‘mosaics’ of different miniaturization (from cellular to molecular level) encased within each other according to a hierarchic criterion and plastically arranged according to peculiar computational rules. In the present paper a special role is surmised for the mosaics formed by synaptic clusters (SC mosaics) that could work as ‘bridges’ connecting mosaics at lower with mosaics at higher degree of miniaturization within each Functional Module. The mosaics formed by SC mosaics are supposed capable also of a partially independent integrative/cognitive activity (Meister Floh Model) in view of their high plasticity and high density in the human brain. The binding phenomenon allows the integrative actions of the mosaics formed by SC mosaics and this could be, at least in part, the neurobiological basis of the high cognitive capability of the human being and hence of consciousness. Against this background, the potentially dangerous effects of the new communication media on the human consciousness are briefly discussed.