Single-neuron spike threshold shifts reversibly with conscious state

Abstract

Does conscious brain state leave a measurable trace in single neurons? Here I propose a direct electrophysiological test. Using within-neuron patch-clamp recordings across wakefulness, anesthesia, and recovery, I predict that action potentials from the same neuron will show reversible shifts in spike threshold of 0.5 - 3 \mathrm{mV} that correlate with conscious state. This prediction is falsifiable using existing techniques in human cortical neurons during awake craniotomy. Detection of such shifts would challenge the assumption that intrinsic neuronal dynamics are determined solely by local membrane biophysics. The framework also predicts amplification of these effects in long-term meditators and their developmental emergence with network integration. This work transforms a philosophical question about consciousness into an empirically tractable neuroscience experiment.