Cortical connectivity, local dynamics and stability correlates of global conscious states.
Communications Biology September 30, 2025 Yun Zhao, Naotsugu Tsuchiya, Mario Boley et al.
Consciousness depends on complex brain structures and processes, but how it is regulated neurobiologically is uncertain. Using magnetoencephalography (MEG) data from 15 participants under Xenon-induced anesthesia, researchers developed interconnected neural mass models to infer time-evolving regional neurophysiological variables and inter-regional connectivity strengths. Significant correlations emerged between consciousness levels and connectivity, especially in posterior parietal, occipital, and prefrontal regions. Results support a parietal, rather than frontal, network backbone for global consciousness. Reductions in consciousness were linked to stabilized cortical dynamics, reflected by changes in the system's eigenmodes. This framework offers a time-resolved perspective on neural mechanisms during altered states.