Neurons in Context

A neuron is not an isolated entity, but rather relies heavily on its surrounding cellular environment for survival and proper functioning. This chapter examines the various contexts that impact a neuron’s function, ranging from its immediate tissue surroundings to larger neural networks, as well as the bodily and sociocultural contexts of psychobiological development. It is posited that the function of a neuron is the result of the collective effects of a group of cells and that neural networks, psychological processes, and cultural conditions provide the broader context within which individual neurons are recruited and carry out specific functions. Within this multilayered context, the single neuron is exposed to a constant stream of information that it must integrate and decode to perform its function. Furthermore, this chapter explores how neuroepigenetic mechanisms enable the neuron to integrate different signaling contexts in an energy-efficient way and thus provide measurements to register neuron activity in context. Finally, it is concluded that the context dependence of the neuron forces us to conceptualize the neuron as a bidirectional hub, which is simultaneously the product and producer of neural function, both influenced by and contributing to the neural functions they support.