Neural Dysfunction: A Predictive-Cognitive Framework Based on the Unified Dynamic Model of Mind

Introduction: The Paradigm Shift in Understanding Neural Dysfunction The study of neural dysfunction has historically been dominated by a reductionist perspective, which often attributes mental disorders to specific, localized issues within the brain, such as lesions, neurochemical imbalances, or static anatomical defects. This viewpoint, while providing foundational knowledge, tends to overlook the inherently dynamic and interconnected nature of brain function [Karasz et al., 2022]. However, contemporary cognitive neuroscience is increasingly recognizing the brain as a complex, self-organizing system that actively constructs and updates internal models of the world. This paradigm shift emphasizes the role of predictive processing, where the brain continuously generates expectations about sensory inputs and revises these predictions based on incoming information. Within this evolving landscape, the Unified Dynamic Model of Mind (UDMM) emerges as a framework that seeks to redefine neural dysfunction by focusing on failures in the dynamic coordination of prediction, updating, and integration processes. This approach challenges the notion of isolated pathologies and instead proposes that dysfunction arises from distributed issues within the brain's dynamic modeling mechanisms.