Altered consciousness: pharmacology and phenomenology BAP Summer Meeting, York, July 1991: Sleep and general anaesthesia as altered states of consciousness.
R Munglani, J G Jones
Journal of Psychopharmacology January 1992 DOI: 10.1177/026988119200600310 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Altered states of consciousness Philosophy of mind |
| Key findings | Argues that sleep and anaesthesia are comparable 'behavioural states' in which thalamic gating of sensory information is increased, controlled by a feedback loop involving the sensory cortex, and that consciousness is not required for sensory processing or learning, both of which have been shown to occur during sleep and anaesthesia. The authors discuss implications for monitoring awareness during anaesthesia. |
Abstract
In this article parallels are drawn between sleep and anaesthesia. Both can be described as 'behavioural states' in which stimulation and inhibition of certain neuronal groups will give rise to specific psychological states. The neuronal mechanisms leading to these states are reviewed and compared. Sensory information flow through the thalamus is reduced in sleep and anaesthesia, the thalamic gating being controlled by other areas of the brain including the sensory cortex. Thus a feedback loop may exist with the brain determining its own level of arousal. Anaesthesia increases gating at the thalamus and thus specifically reduces arousal. Consciousness is a specific attribute of the brain and is not required for the processing of sensory stimuli and learning, both of which have been shown to occur during sleep and anaesthesia. The implications of these findings for monitoring awareness during anaesthesia are discussed.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on altered states of consciousness, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Subjective Effects of Psychedelics Are Necessary for Their Enduring Therapeutic Effects. | 2020 | Review | |
| Psychobiology of Altered States of Consciousness. | 2005 | Review | |
| Intrinsic Brain Activity in Altered States of Consciousness | 2008 | Review | |
| Dynamic functional connectivity and brain metastability during altered states of consciousness | 2017 | Review | |
| A default mode of brain function in altered states of consciousness. | 2013 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cites 3
- Human learning during general anaesthesia and surgery. British Journal of Anaesthesia February 1991
- Subjective referral of the timing for a conscious sensory experience: a functional role for the somatosensory specific projection system in man. Brain March 1979
- Experimental Modification of Dream Content by Meaningful Verbal Stimuli The British Journal of Psychiatry November 1, 1963