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Updated: May 29, 2026

Optogenetic Entrainment of Hippocampal Theta Oscillations in Behaving Mice
Published on: June 29, 2018
Thalamic oscillations distinguish natural states of consciousness in humans
Aditya Chowdhury1, Xiongbo Wu1, Tara Beilner1
1Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.
Abstract:
Natural states of consciousness are thought to be regulated by deep brain structures such as the thalamus. However, very little is known about the underlying electrophysiology in humans. Here, using a rare opportunity to directly record from the human thalamus, we identify a hitherto-unreported brain-state-specific oscillation of approximately 19-45 Hz. This oscillation is present only during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and wakefulness, while being absent during non-REM sleep. The 19-45 Hz oscillation further distinguishes REM sleep microstates, co-occurring with bursts of eye movements, and is specific to the central thalamus, a structure implicated in causing global brain state transitions. The discovery of a distinct oscillatory signature in the central thalamus that distinguishes conscious states opens up avenues to further investigate thalamic contributions to states of consciousness in humans and potentially to refine interventions to treat disorders of consciousness.
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