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Tutorial commentary: surprisingly small subcortical structures are needed for the state of waking consciousness, while cortical projection areas seem to provide perceptual contents of consciousness.

B J Baars

Consciousness and Cognition June 1, 1995 DOI: 10.1006/ccog.1995.1021 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed
Keywords Thalamic nuclei Cerebral cortex Neural pathways Humans Coma Brain mapping Awareness Consciousness Perception Attention Wakefulness Dominance, cerebral
Key points Argues that activity in the reticular formation, nonspecific reticular thalamic nucleus, and intralaminar nuclei is necessary but not sufficient for conscious experience, and that stimulus representation in primary sensory projection areas is likewise necessary but not sufficient for conscious perceptual experience. Proposes that the two components together may be necessary and sufficient to support conscious perceptual experience.

Abstract

The evidence can therefore be summarized as follows: (1) RF, nRt, and ILN activity seem to be necessary but not sufficient for conscious experience. (2) Stimulus representation in primary sensory projection areas also seems to be necessary but not sufficient for conscious perceptual experience (Weiskrantz, 1980). The simplest hypothesis is that both components are necessary and sufficient to support conscious perceptual experience.

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