Neurological disorders and the structure of human consciousness
Jeffrey W. Cooney1, Michael S. Gazzaniga
1Department of Psychology, Dartmouth College, 6162 Moore Hall, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; currently at: Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, 5201 Tolman Hall, 94720, Berkeley, CA, USA
Abstract:
Recent studies that identify distinct neural correlates of perceptual awareness offer a promising step towards improved understanding of the neurological underpinnings of conscious experience. Such studies indicate that perceptual awareness is modular in nature, with neural correlates of awareness consisting of the specialized structures involved in perceptual processing. However, the integrative, multimodal nature of conscious experience appears to require a functional architecture that overcomes this modular segregation of function. We propose a model in which experience emerges from the dynamic interactions of specialized component processes via a distributed neural network. Such a model offers a mechanism to explain several empirical observations of the neural correlates of perceptual awareness, cognitive function, and symptoms of neurological damage.
More Related Videos
08:25Combined Invasive Subcortical and Non-invasive Surface Neurophysiological Recordings for the Assessment of Cognitive and Emotional Functions in Humans
Published on: May 19, 2016
11:05SECONDs Administration Guidelines: A Fast Tool to Assess Consciousness in Brain-injured Patients
Published on: February 6, 2021
Related Concept Videos
Disorders of the Nervous Tissue
Homeostatic Imbalances:
Alzheimer's disease manifests as a gradual decline in memory and cognitive abilities, attributed to the buildup of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain.
Parkinson's disease arises from the...
Organization of the Brain
Hindbrain
The hindbrain, located at the base of the brain, plays a vital role in regulating automatic processes that sustain life. It includes the medulla oblongata, which is essential for...
Understanding Consciousness
Sleep, a crucial state, is characterized by reduced physical...
High-Level and Low-Level Awareness
Subconsciousness and No Awareness
An illustrative example of subconscious processing is its role in problem-solving. Often, individuals...
Dissociative Disorders
Dissociative Fugue
A hallmark feature of dissociative disorders is the dissociative fugue...
