Understanding Consciousness: The Brain’s “Hidden” Switch

A recent study has broadened researchers’ understanding of what parts of the brain are activated when people become aware of themselves and their thoughts.

“The findings indicate that the intralaminar and medial thalamic nuclei regulate conscious perception. This conclusion represents a significant advance in our understanding of the networks that forms the basis of visual consciousness in humans,” says the research team from Beijing Normal University in China.

Previously, neurologists believed that the cerebral cortex largely controlled conscious perception while the thalamus played a minor role. The latest study, however, finds that the thalamus is an active and initial participant in the perception of consciousness. The hypothesis that the thalamus does or does not play a role in conscious perception has long been hard to prove, as the patient must be aware of stimuli while simultaneously having their brain surveyed with invasive sensors. The study used patients who already had thin electrodes inserted into their brains as part of an experimental headache treatment and eventually led the team to the conclusion that the thalamus is potentially the first region of the brain that aids in our perception of the world as it was the first region of the brain that lit up when the patients were given a specific visual test. In other words, it acts as the light switch that turns on the light: a vital conclusion that could lead to better treatment for brain injuries, sleep disorders, and even comas.