Self-organized criticality as a framework for consciousness: A review study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Theoretical Physics
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Current models of consciousness lack universal acceptance, highlighting the need for a unifying theoretical and empirical framework.
• Self-organized criticality (SOC) is proposed as a fundamental property of neural systems, offering a model for spontaneous brain activity.
• Critical dynamics, stemming from SOC, are investigated as potential surrogate measures for consciousness due to their role in information processing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of research progress linking self-organized criticality (SOC) and consciousness.
• To assess the potential of SOC as a neurodynamical framework for unifying existing consciousness theories and experimental evidence.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted on the Web of Science database for publications between 1998 and 2021.
• Analysis included tracking the annual number of publications and citations, article types, and methodologies employed.
• Specific focus on studies utilizing electrocorticography (EcoG), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and electroencephalography/magnetoencephalography (EEG/MEG).

Main Results:

• A total of 71 publications were identified, with a consistent increase in citations over the years.
• Original articles constituted 50.7%, and review/theoretical articles 43.6%; studies included human (16) and animal (7) data, with 12 computational models.
• EEG/MEG studies (n=10) employed diverse analytical tools (e.g., detrended fluctuation analysis, neuronal avalanche analysis) to assess criticality.

Conclusions:

• Critical dynamics show agreement with prominent consciousness theories like global workspace theory and integrated information theory, suggesting SOC's promise.
• The limited number of experimental studies and the heterogeneity in analytical tools for assessing criticality pose challenges to generalizability.
• Further research is needed to solidify the role of SOC as a neurodynamical parameter for consciousness.