Indian Journal of Social Psychiatry (original) (raw)
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Neural correlates of consciousness
A basic understanding of consciousness and its neural correlates is of major importance for all clinicians, especially those involved with patients with altered states of consciousness. In this paper it is shown that consciousness is dependent on the brainstem and thalamus for arousal; that basic cognition is supported by recurrent electrical activity between the cortex and the thalamus at gamma band frequencies; and that some kind of working memory must, at least fleetingly, be present for awareness to occur. The problem of cognitive binding and the role of attention are briefly addressed and it is shown that consciousness depends on a multitude of subconscious processes. Although these processes do not represent consciousness, consciousness cannot exist without them.
Review: Neural correlates of consciousness
African Journal of Psychiatry, 2009
A basic understanding of consciousness and its neural correlates is of major importance for all clinicians, especially those involved with patients with altered states of consciousness. In this paper it is shown that consciousness is dependent on the brainstem and thalamus for arousal; that basic cognition is supported by recurrent electrical activity between the cortex and the thalamus at gamma band frequencies; and that some kind of working memory must, at least fleetingly, be present for awareness to occur. The problem of cognitive binding and the role of attention are briefly addressed and it is shown that consciousness depends on a multitude of subconscious processes. Although these processes do not represent consciousness, consciousness cannot exist without them.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2006
The goal of this paper is to explore the basic assumption that largescale, temporal coincidence of specific and nonspecific thalamic activity generates the functional states that characterize human cognition.
The neuronal basis for consciousness
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences, 1998
Attempting to understand how the brain, as a whole, might be organized seems, for the first time, to be a serious topic of inquiry. One aspect of its neuronal organization that seems particularly central to global function is the rich thalamocortical interconnectivity, and most particularly the reciprocal nature of the thalamocortical neuronal loop function. Moreover, the interaction between the specific and non-specific thalamic loops suggests that rather than a gate into the brain, the thalamus represents a hub from which any site in the cortex can communicate with any other such site or sites. The goal of this paper is to explore the basic assumption that large–scale, temporal coincidence of specific and non–specific thalamic activity generates the functional states that characterize human cognition.
Consciousness and the thalamocortical loop
International Congress Series, 2003
Attempting to understand how the brain might be organized seems, for the first time, to be a serious topic of inquiry. One aspect of its neuronal organization that seems particularly central to global function is the rich thalamocortical interconnectivity and most particularly the reciprocal nature of the thalamocortical neuronal loop function. Moreover, the interaction between the specific and nonspecific thalamic loops suggests that rather than a gate into the brain, the thalamus represents a hub from which any site in the cortex can communicate with any other such site or sites. The goal of this paper is to explore the basic assumption that large-scale, temporal coincidence of specific and nonspecific thalamic activity generates the functional states that characterize human cognition.
The neural correlates of consciousness
2003
Portas, C and Maquet, P and Rees, G and Blakemore, SJ and Frith, C (2003) The neural correlates of consciousness. In: Frackowiak, RSJ and Friston, KJ and Frith, CD and Dolan, RJ and Price, CJ and Zeki, S and Ashburner, J and Penny, W, (eds.) Human Brain Function. (269 - 301). Elsevier Press: London. ... Full text not available from this repository.
The Neural Correlates of Consciousness: Causes, Confounds and Constituents
This chapter develops a framework for addressing the neural correlates of consciousness. We begin by distinguishing the kinds of neural correlates that are of central interest to the science of consciousness (what we call ‘NCCs’) from the kinds of neural correlates that are more peripheral to consciousness science and which are typically regarded as confounds from the perspective of consciousness research. We also examine various aspects of the NCCs, arguing that the notion involves complexities that have often been overlooked in the literature. We then consider various reasons for placing NCCs at the centre of consciousness research, before considering a number of methodological challenges faced by consciousness science in attempting to distinguish the NCCs from neural correlates of various other types.
Neuropsychology of Consciousness: Some History and a Few New Trends
Frontiers in Psychology, 2019
Consciousness is a global activity of the nervous system. Its physiological and pathological mechanisms have been studied in relation to the natural sleep-wake cycle and various forms of normal or morbid unconsciousness, mainly in neurophysiology and clinical neurology. Neuropsychology has been more interested in specific higher brain functions, such as perception and memory and their disorders, rather than in consciousness per se. However, neuropsychology has been at the forefront in the identification of conscious and unconscious components in the processing of sensory and mnestic information. The present review describes some historical steps in the formulation of consciousness as a global brain function with arousal and content as principal ingredients, respectively, instantiated in the subcortex and the neocortex. It then reports a few fresh developments in neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience which emphasize the importance of the hippocampus for thinking and dreaming. Nonneocortical structures may contribute to the contents of consciousness more than previously believed.
Neurobiology of Consciousness: Current Research and Perspectives
Studia Humana, 2015
Scientific, objective approach to consciousness has allowed to obtain some experimental data concerning brain activity, ignoring, however, the longstanding philosophical tradition. Spectacular development of neuroscience which has been observed recently made this dissonance particularly noticeable. The paper addresses the main problems of discrepancy between neurobiological research and philosophical perspective. Current opinions concerning neural correlates and models of consciousness are discussed, as well as the problems of working memory, attention, self, and disorders of consciousness. A new neurobiological approach to describe brain function in terms of brain connectivity (so-called connectome) is also presented. Finally, the need to introduce at least some aspects of philosophical approach directly into neurobiological research of consciousness is postulated.