Artificial neural networks are becoming more advanced and human-like in detail and behavior. The notion that machines mimicking human brain computations might be conscious has recently caused growing unease. Here, we explored a common computational functionalist view, which holds that consciousness emerges when the right computations occur-whether in a machine or a biological brain. To test...
Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying consciousness remains a significant challenge. Recent evidence suggests that the coupling between distal-apical and basal-somatic dendrites in thick-tufted layer 5 pyramidal neurons (L5PN), regulated by the nonspecific-projecting thalamus, is crucial for consciousness. Yet, it is uncertain whether this thalamocortical mechanism can support...