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The most recent stuff I've been hearing is about glial cells. Apparently they contribute more than was previously expected.
(Sorry, I'm tired at this end, from work... I may write some crap by accident).
But getting back to the neurons. I don't have the relevant book on me, but the chemical activity at the connections is the bit that seems complex. I'm biased of course, I'm better at electronics than chemistry... And hey, my electronics is not so good either.
Anyways. The basic summary seems to be that electrical signals between one neuron and another do not pass directly. Instead that pass through the synapse via neurotransmitters.
And there are a variety of neurotransmitters out there.
Additionally, there seem to be a variety of chemical feedback loops and so on. With different neurotransmitters having different significance in different brain areas. This is a key area of research - in that drugs affecting these connections have a huge market (eg ritalin, SSRI antidepressants, appetite suppressants, stimulants and so on).
On the structural side - there is stuff in the science press each month in relation to research on dementia treatments. I don't understand all of this, but elements of these articles relates to memory formation/retention. Interestingly, we seem to remember stuff much better under particular circumstances. Once again, there is a chemical "substrate" (elements of which could probably be modelled fairly easily). Our mood/hormones affects are ability to remember... Which explains, I suppose, why I can clearly remember my first day of school, breaking up with my first girlfriend, and those occasions where I've been physically threatened/at-risk.
Its a great area. Sometimes I wish that I'd studied more biology.
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