How the Brain Transitions from Conscious to Subliminal Perception.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Complex Systems Science
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• The human brain's functional networks undergo significant changes during transitions between conscious and unconscious states.
• Understanding the core organizational principles of these networks is crucial for consciousness research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the transition dynamics of functional brain networks from conscious to subliminal perception states.
• To identify the network components that persist during this transition.

Main Methods:

• Utilized k-core percolation theory to analyze functional brain network structures.
• Modeled the transition from conscious to subliminal states using network inactivation.

Main Results:

• The most connected core of the conscious brain network remains functionally active during the transition to subliminal states.
• This persistent inner core of the conscious network corresponds to the subliminal state.
• The conscious state is lost through the inactivation of peripheral network layers (k-shells).

Conclusions:

• The core of the functional brain network, previously thought to be conscious, is actually associated with the unconscious subliminal state.
• This challenges existing theoretical models of consciousness by localizing the brain's core function within unconscious processing.