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Related Concept Videos

Understanding Consciousness01:23

Understanding Consciousness

Consciousness can be defined as the state of being aware of and able to think about one's existence, sensations, and surroundings. It encompasses two major components: awareness and arousal. Awareness pertains to the recognition of environmental stimuli and internal states. At the same time, arousal refers to the physiological readiness to engage with these stimuli, which varies significantly between states like sleep and wakefulness.
Sleep, a crucial state, is characterized by reduced physical...
Subconsciousness and No Awareness01:15

Subconsciousness and No Awareness

The concept of subconscious awareness refers to the processing of information below the level of conscious thought, which significantly influences both behaviors and decisions. It is also known as waking subconscious awareness. This complex level of cognition operates without the direct awareness of the individual, facilitating rapid and simultaneous handling of multiple information streams.
An illustrative example of subconscious processing is its role in problem-solving. Often, individuals...
Brain Imaging01:14

Brain Imaging

Brain imaging technologies provide critical insights into both the structure and function of the human brain, enabling medical professionals and researchers to diagnose, study, and treat neurological disorders or psychiatric disorders more effectively.
These technologies include computerized axial tomography (CAT or CT scans), positron-emission tomography (PET scans),  magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),  functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS).
Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System01:15

Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System

The limbic system, often called the "emotional brain," is a complex set of structures located deep within the brain. The intricate network of the limbic system supports a wide range of psychological functions, from emotional regulation to memory formation and sensory processing. This functional brain region encompasses specific parts of the diencephalon and the cerebrum, integrating the higher mental functions of the cerebral cortex with the primitive emotional responses of the deep brain...
Organization of the Brain01:30

Organization of the Brain

The brain is an integral component of the nervous system and serves as the center for processing sensory inputs, making decisions, and directing bodily actions. This complex organ is organized into three primary sections: the hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain, each responsible for a range of vital functions.
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...
Cognitivism01:17

Cognitivism

Cognitive psychology emerged as a significant field in the mid-20th century. It focused on understanding humans' internal mental processes. This approach emphasizes how people perceive, remember, think, and solve problems—elements critical to human cognition.
Previously dominated by behaviorism, which prioritized observable behaviors and largely ignored mental processes, psychology transformed in the 1950s. Cognitive psychologists argue that understanding how we think and process information is...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 26, 2026

Assessment and Communication for People with Disorders of Consciousness
07:37

Assessment and Communication for People with Disorders of Consciousness

Published on: August 1, 2017

Coma and consciousness: paradigms (re)framed by neuroimaging.

Steven Laureys1, Nicholas D Schiff

  • 1Coma Science Group, Cyclotron Research Centre and Neurology Department, University and University Hospital of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium. steven.laureys@ulg.ac.be

Neuroimage
|January 10, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Recent discoveries reveal that patients with severe brain damage may retain cognitive abilities and show potential for recovery of consciousness. These findings reshape our understanding of brain function and consciousness mechanisms.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Science
  • Neurology

Background:

  • Over the last 15 years, significant advancements have been made in understanding consciousness recovery after severe brain injury.
  • Discoveries highlight that patients with minimal behavioral signs of awareness may possess intact cognitive capacities.
  • Emerging evidence shows potential for recovery even in patients with long-standing, severely injured brains and limited responsiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent discoveries concerning the recovery of consciousness in the human brain after severe brain damage.
  • To explore the implications of these findings for understanding consciousness and brain mechanisms.
  • To discuss advances in measurement and the broader impact of this research field.

Main Methods:

  • Review of scientific literature and discoveries from the past 15 years.
  • Analysis of studies demonstrating retained cognitive capacities in patients with impaired consciousness.
  • Examination of research on latent recovery potential and reemergence of functions like language and higher cognition.

Main Results:

  • Patients with severe brain damage may retain critical cognitive functions despite lacking behavioral evidence of awareness.
  • Significant recovery of consciousness and cognitive functions is possible even after long periods of limited responsiveness.
  • Human functions such as language and higher cognition can reemerge spontaneously or with interventions.

Conclusions:

  • These findings necessitate a reframing of scientific inquiry into consciousness.
  • A new model proposes consciousness as an emergent property of frontoparietal network connectivity modulated by forebrain circuits.
  • The field offers profound insights into the mechanisms underlying consciousness in the human brain.