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An open fMRI resource for studying human brain function and covert consciousness under anesthesia
Zirui Huang1,2,3,4, Vijay Tarnal5,6,7, Panagiotis Fotiadis5,6
1Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA. huangzu@med.umich.edu.
Scientific Data
|January 9, 2026
Summary
This study presents a novel dataset on brain activity during anesthesia using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). It reveals neural mechanisms of consciousness and anesthesia, including covert awareness during sedation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Anesthesiology
Background:
- Anesthesia profoundly impacts surgical practice and offers insights into consciousness.
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies indicate anesthesia disrupts higher-order brain region connectivity, impairing consciousness integration.
- Detecting covert consciousness using traditional fMRI is challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a comprehensive fMRI dataset of brain activity under graded propofol sedation.
- To investigate the neural underpinnings of consciousness and anesthesia, including covert awareness.
- To provide a valuable resource for researchers studying the neurobiology of consciousness.
Main Methods:
- Acquired fMRI data from 26 healthy volunteers under varying propofol sedation levels.
- Utilized mental imagery tasks (tennis, navigation, hand squeeze) and a motor response task.
- Dataset formatted to BIDS standards and released via OpenNeuro.
Main Results:
- Captured brain activity across diverse sedation levels, including volitional mental imagery during behavioral unresponsiveness.
- Prior analyses explored the anterior insula's role in conscious access.
- Investigated asymmetric neural dynamics during consciousness transitions.
Conclusions:
- The dataset enables exploration of anesthesia's neural mechanisms and consciousness.
- Highlights the potential for mental imagery tasks to detect covert consciousness.
- Offers a unique resource for studying disorders of consciousness.
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