Neural signs and mechanisms of consciousness: Is there a potential convergence of theories of consciousness in sight?

Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 118, P. 568 - 587

Published: Aug. 9, 2020

Language: Английский

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Perceptual awareness negativity: a physiological correlate of sensory consciousness

Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 25(8), P. 660 - 670

Published: June 23, 2021

Language: Английский

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Beyond task response—Pre-stimulus activity modulates contents of consciousness

Physics of Life Reviews, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 49, P. 19 - 37

Published: March 4, 2024

Language: Английский

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Distinguishing the Neural Correlates of Perceptual Awareness and Postperceptual Processing

Journal of Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 40(25), P. 4925 - 4935

Published: May 14, 2020

To identify the neural correlates of perceptual awareness, researchers often compare differences in activation between conditions which an observer is or not aware a stimulus. While intuitive, this approach contains critical limitation: to link brain activity with observers traditionally report contents their experience. However, relying on observers9 reports problematic because it difficult know whether responses being measured are associated conscious perception postperceptual processes involved reporting task (e.g., working memory, decision-making). address issue, we combined standard visual masking paradigm recently developed "no-report" male/female human participants. In paradigm, saw images animals and objects that were visible invisible, depending proximity masks. Meanwhile, half trials, reported experience (i.e., condition), while other trials they refrained from about experiences no-report condition). We used electroencephalography examine how visibility interacts by measuring P3b event-related potential, one proposed canonical "signatures" processing. Overall, found robust condition, but no whatsoever condition. This finding suggests itself signature processing highlights importance carefully distinguishing awareness SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT What signatures differentiate unconscious brain? Perhaps most well established candidate late slow wave appears when stimulus, disappears stimulus fails reach awareness. Here, however, does track what perceiving, instead tracks reporting. When simple stimuli, nowhere be unless These results challenge notion as marker highlight need for new approaches neuroscience consciousness.

Language: Английский

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Transcranial magnetic stimulation effects support an oscillatory model of ERP genesis

Current Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 34(5), P. 1048 - 1058.e4

Published: Feb. 19, 2024

Whether prestimulus oscillatory brain activity contributes to the generation of post-stimulus-evoked neural responses has long been debated, but findings remain inconclusive. We first investigated hypothesized relationship via EEG recordings during a perceptual task with this correlational evidence causally probed subsequently by means online rhythmic transcranial magnetic stimulation. Both approaches revealed close link between individual alpha frequency (IAF) and P1 latency, faster IAF being related shorter latencies, best explained phase-reset mechanisms. Moreover, amplitude predicted P3 size, additive (correlational causal evidence) baseline shift mechanisms evidence), each distinct contributors. Finally, in terms performance, latencies were both associated higher accuracy, while lower amplitudes confidence ratings. Our results are favor model ERP genesis modulation, shedding new light on mechanistic oscillations functionally relevant evoked components.

Language: Английский

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Constructing Experience

Published: Jan. 30, 2025

This Element examines the influence of expectation and attention on conscious perception. It explores debate whether is necessary for perception by presenting empirical evidence from studies inattentional blindness, change attentional blink. While strongly suggests that perception, other research has shown can shape sometimes leading to illusory experiences where predicted stimuli are perceived despite their absence. phenomenon, termed 'expectation awareness', may not be all experiences. These findings explored within predictive processing framework, brain characterized as a prediction engine, continuously updating its internal models minimize errors. Integrating psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, this provides model how construct perceptual reality. also discusses clinical theoretical implications future research.

Language: Английский

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The mode of breathing affects awareness-related brain potentials: Oral breathing shapes awareness-related brain potentials differently than nasal breathing

Research Square (Research Square), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 30, 2025

Cyclic variation in bodily signals can influence the conscious perception of sensory stimuli. We have previously shown that respiratory phase affects processing visual stimuli during nasal breathing: P1 component was modulated by awareness only inhalation. Breathing affect brain activity both directly through entrainment rhythmic via mechanical stimulation olfactory bulb (OB) and indirectly fluctuations baroreceptor (BR) across cycle. here aim to differentiate relative contribution OB BR oral breathing when is not stimulated show early correlates do vary with but cardiac phase, albeit somewhat delayed timing. Furthermore, P3a low (inhalation, diastole). Our findings clarify interplay between for a stimulus: alone cannot explain how processes perceptual outcome. Only present low, earliest ERP awareness.

Language: Английский

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Dissociating the Neural Correlates of Consciousness and Task Relevance in Face Perception Using Simultaneous EEG-fMRI

Journal of Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 41(37), P. 7864 - 7875

Published: July 23, 2021

Current theories of visual consciousness disagree about whether it emerges during early stages processing in sensory brain regions or later when a widespread frontoparietal network becomes involved. Moreover, disentangling conscious perception from task-related postperceptual processes (e.g., report) and integrating results across different neuroscientific methods remain ongoing challenges. The present study addressed these problems using simultaneous EEG-fMRI specific inattentional blindness paradigm with three physically identical phases female male human participants. In phase 1, participants performed distractor task which line drawings faces control stimuli were presented centrally. While some spontaneously noticed the others remained inattentionally blind. 2, all made aware task-irrelevant but continued task. 3, became task-relevant. Bayesian analysis responses demonstrated that face was most strongly associated activation fusiform gyrus (fMRI) as well N170 awareness negativity (EEG). Smaller effects revealed occipital prefrontal cortex (fMRI). Task-relevant processing, on other hand, led to strong, extensive occipitotemporal, frontoparietal, attentional networks EEG, enhanced negativities elicited pronounced P3b component. Overall, we provide evidence is linked stimulus-specific areas may additionally involve cortex. contrast, strong are more likely processes. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT How does our generate consciousness—the subjective experience what like see, for example, face? To date, hotly debated activated. Here, use fMRI EEG high spatial temporal resolution demonstrate predominantly occipitotemporal processes, also activity. Task-related decision-making), elicit brain-wide activations including late These findings challenge numerous previous studies highlight importance investigating neural correlates absence relevance.

Language: Английский

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Dendritic integration theory: A thalamo-cortical theory of state and content of consciousness

Philosophy and the Mind Sciences, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 1(II)

Published: Dec. 30, 2020

The idea that the thalamo-cortical system is crucial constituent of neurobiological mechanisms consciousness has a long history. For last few decades, however, research to large extent overlooked interplay between cortex and thalamus. Here we revive an integrated view neurobiology by presenting discussing several recent major findings about role thalamocortical interactions in consciousness. Based on these propose specific cellular mechanism how thalamic nuclei modulate integration different processing streams within single cortical pyramidal neurons. This theory inspired work done rodents, but it integrates decades conducted various species. We illustrate this new readily explains properties experimental phenomena associated with conscious experience. discuss implications some experiments need be order test it. Our bridges two long-standing perspectives neural proposes interact at level cells.

Language: Английский

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Where’s My Consciousness-Ometer? How to Test for the Presence and Complexity of Consciousness

Perspectives on Psychological Science, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 17(4), P. 1150 - 1165

Published: March 10, 2022

Tools and tests for measuring the presence complexity of consciousness are becoming available, but there is no established theoretical approach what these tools measuring. This article examines several categories making reasonable inferences about (defined as capacity phenomenal/subjective experience) also suggests ways in which different theories may be empirically distinguished. We label various to measure measurable correlates (MCC) include three subcategories our taxonomy: (a) neural consciousness, (b) behavioral (c) creative consciousness. Finally, we reflect on how broader philosophical views nature such materialism panpsychism, informed by scientific process.

Language: Английский

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