Dynamical structure-function correlations provide robust and generalizable signatures of consciousness in humans
Pablo Castro, Andrea I. Luppi, Enzo Tagliazucchi, Yonatan Sanz Perl, Lorina Naci, Adrian M. Owen, Jacobo Sitt, Alain Destexhe, Rodrigo Cofré
Communications Biology September 30, 2024 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06858-3 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Human participants |
| Intervention | general anaesthesia |
| Topics | Default mode network |
| Keywords | Unconsciousness Dynamic functional connectivity Cognition Unconscious mind Cognitive psychology Resting State FMRI Brain function Network dynamics Cognitive science Electroencephalography |
| Citations | 21 |
| Key findings | Unconsciousness is dominated by a recurrent functional connectivity pattern with reduced capacity to transition to other patterns, while conscious awareness is characterized by richer brain dynamics. |
Abstract
Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging evolves through a repertoire of functional connectivity patterns which might reflect ongoing cognition, as well as the contents of conscious awareness. We investigated whether the dynamic exploration of these states can provide robust and generalizable markers for the state of consciousness in human participants, across loss of consciousness induced by general anaesthesia or slow wave sleep. By clustering transient states of functional connectivity, we demonstrated that brain activity during unconsciousness is dominated by a recurrent pattern primarily mediated by structural connectivity and with a reduced capacity to transition to other patterns. Our results provide evidence supporting the pronounced differences between conscious and unconscious brain states in terms of whole-brain dynamics; in particular, the maintenance of rich brain dynamics measured by entropy is a critical aspect of conscious awareness. Collectively, our results may have significant implications for our understanding of consciousness and the neural basis of human awareness, as well as for the discovery of robust signatures of consciousness that are generalizable among different brain conditions.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on default mode network, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A default mode of brain function Normal adult human brain | 2001 | Observational study | |
| Resting-State Functional Connectivity Reflects Structural Connectivity in the Default Mode Network Healthy subjects | 2008 | Observational cohort | |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| The precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex plays a pivotal role in the default mode network: Evidence from a partial correlation network analysis Healthy subjects | 2008 | Observational study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Exploring Unconscious Mental Abilities Using fMRI and Artificial Intelligence: A Multimodal Neuroimaging Study Journal of Psychology and Neuroscience August 26, 2026
- High-order brain interactions distinguish wakefulness, anaesthesia, and recovery induced by deep brain stimulation bioRxiv June 3, 2026
Cites 22
- A default mode of brain function Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 16, 2001
- Breakdown of Cortical Effective Connectivity During Sleep Science September 29, 2005
- A Theoretically Based Index of Consciousness Independent of Sensory Processing and Behavior Science Translational Medicine August 14, 2013
- The entropic brain: a theory of conscious states informed by neuroimaging research with psychedelic drugs Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2014
- Human consciousness is supported by dynamic complex patterns of brain signal coordination Science Advances February 1, 2019
and 17 more in the library