5 years, 1 month ago

'Brain circuit involved in generating conscious awareness unravelled in monkeys'

Researchers have demonstrated that a small jab of electricity delivered to a particular point in the brain can snap a monkey even out of deep unconsciousness, an advance that may lead to the discovery of nerve circuits key to conscious awareness, and potential treatments for brain disorders. "For as long as you're stimulating their brain, their behaviour -- full eye opening, reaching for objects in their vicinity, vital sign changes, bodily movements and facial movements -- and their brain activity is that of a waking state," said study co-author Yuri Saalmann from the University of Wisconsin -Madison in the US. According to the researchers, the results revealed a particular loop of nerve activity in the brain's central lateral thalamus in which lesions have been linked in earlier studies to severe consciousness disruption like coma. Watching the signalling using brain scans as the monkeys moved from unconscious to conscious states, the scientists reported observing the central lateral thalamus stimulating parts of the cortex. "So, you have this loop between the deeper layers of the cortex and the central lateral thalamus, which in a sense acts like an engine," said Saalmann.

India TV News
Brain Central Thalamus Lateral Conscious Conscious Awareness Saalmann
Same brain region operates loss and return of consciousness: Study
4 years, 3 months ago

Same brain region operates loss and return of consciousness: Study

Hindustan Times
Sleep
'Wake up' switch found in the brain: Scientists control consciousness in a rat by 'tuning a dial' in a central region of its mind
9 years, 3 months ago

'Wake up' switch found in the brain: Scientists control consciousness in a rat by 'tuning a dial' in a central region of its mind

Daily Mail
Sleep

Discover Related