皮层柱

皮层柱（英文：Cortical column，亦称hypercolumn，macrocolumn^[1]，cortical module^[2]），是大脑皮层中可以被垂直表面的探针成功穿入的一群神经元，他们拥有几乎相同的感受野。微皮层柱（英语：cortical minicolumn）（cortical minicolumn）中的神经元只能记录相同特征的信号，而皮层柱则是一个可以记录其相应感受野中全体有效信号的单元。^[3]

这个术语的确切所指目前并不清楚，它并不直接对应于皮层中的任何独立结构。不可能找出对应于一个皮层柱的一组神经結構，目前也没有已知的基因訊息能够指出一个皮层柱是如何构建的。^[3]尽管如此，这个柱状组织的假设在目前对于皮层訊息处理的研究中被广为接受。^[4]

• Graham-Rowe, Duncan. Mission to build a simulated brain begins. New Scientist. 6 June 2005 [2014-10-17]. （原始内容存档于2008-10-20）. [...] the initial phase of Blue Brain will model the electrical structure of neocortical columns - neural circuits that are repeated throughout the brain. These are the network units of the brain, says Markram. Measuring just 0.5 millimetres by 2 mm, these units contain between 10 and 70,000 neurons, depending upon the species. Once this is complete, the behaviour of columns can be mapped and modelled [...] 
• The Blue Brain Project （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆） aims to simulate a cortical column
• On Intelligence—a popular science book about column function by Jeff Hawkins
• Rakic, P. Confusing cortical columns. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. August 2008, 105 (34): 12099–12100. Bibcode:2008PNAS..10512099R. doi:10.1073/pnas.0807271105.  Summarizes what is known and corrects some misconceptions.