How is electrical stimulation of the brain experienced, and how can we tell? Selected considerations on sensorimotor function and speech.
Kevin A Mazurek, Marc H Schieber
Cognitive Neuropsychology 2019 DOI: 10.1080/02643294.2019.1609918 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Cerebral cortex Electrical stimulation Intracortical microstimulation Perception Sensation |
| Key findings | Argues that research using cortical electrical stimulation has largely overlooked whether subjects are aware of the stimulation and how they experience it. Proposes that future studies examine second-order experiences such as intention and agency regarding evoked movements, the naturalness of evoked sensory percepts, and qualia that may occur without an overt first-order experience. |
Abstract
Electrical stimulation of the nervous system is a powerful tool for localizing and examining the function of numerous brain regions. Delivered to certain regions of the cerebral cortex, electrical stimulation can evoke a variety of first-order effects, including observable movements or an urge to move, or somatosensory, visual, or auditory percepts. In still other regions the subject may be oblivious to the stimulation. Often overlooked, however, is whether the subject is aware of the stimulation, and if so, how the stimulation is experienced by the subject. In this review of how electrical stimulation has been used to study selected aspects of sensorimotor and language function, we raise questions that future studies might address concerning the subjects' second-order experiences of intention and agency regarding evoked movements, of the naturalness of evoked sensory percepts, and of other qualia that might be evoked in the absence of an overt first-order experience.