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consciousness

·May 1, 2024·4 min read

Key Consciousness Connections Uncovered

Using neuroimaging, researchers identified a brain network crucial to human consciousness. Using advanced multimodal MRI techniques, the team mapped connections among the brainstem, thalamus, and cortex, forming what they call the "default ascending arousal network," which is vital for sustaining wakefulness.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 15, 2024·6 min read

The Mysteries of Dreams and Their Impact on Our Lives

Researchers highlight groundbreaking approaches to studying dreams, revealing their significant impact on our waking lives. They are exploring how dreams influence perceptions of sleep quality and overall cognitive functioning.

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·March 22, 2024·4 min read

When Do Babies Begin to Be Conscious?

Researchers propose a new approach to determine when consciousness emerges in infancy. Their suggestion, based on identifying markers of consciousness in adults and tracking when these markers appear in babies' development, offers a potential pathway to understand this long-standing question.

Featured Neuroscience

·March 20, 2024·4 min read

Microglia Are Key Players in Awakening the Brain Post-Anesthesia

Microglia, the central nervous system's immune cells, are crucial in helping the brain recover from anesthesia. By interacting directly with brain circuits and inhibitory synapses, microglia work to counteract sedation effects, offering new insights into managing post-anesthesia delirium and hyperactivity.

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·December 16, 2023·4 min read

Beyond Consciousness: How Meditators Voluntarily Enter Void States

Experienced meditators can voluntarily induce unconscious states, known as cessations, without the use of drugs. This ability, observed in Tibetan Buddhist practice, allows meditators to experience a momentary void of consciousness, followed by enhanced mental clarity.

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·November 16, 2023·3 min read

New Study on “Psychic Channelers” and Disembodied Consciousness

An international scientific study examined claims by 15 pre-vetted channelers who communicate with nonphysical beings. The researchers asked channelers the same set of questions to assess the consistency of their responses.

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·November 8, 2023·7 min read

How Anesthesia Blocks Consciousness

A new study reveals insights into how general anesthesia affects consciousness and sensory perception. Using animal models, researchers found that while propofol anesthesia allows sensory information to reach the brain, it disrupts the spread of signals across the cortex.

This shows the outline of a man surrounded by clocks and neurons.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 31, 2023·7 min read

Mapping Time and Space: Neurons Decode Human Existence Dimensions

Researchers unveil how neurons in the brain depict time and space, fundamental to human consciousness. Utilizing special depth electrodes, they studied patients undergoing treatment for epilepsy, revealing "place cells" for spatial awareness and "time cells" for temporal comprehension.

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·October 27, 2023·3 min read

Is AI Mimicking Consciousness or Truly Becoming Aware?

AI's remarkable abilities, like those seen in ChatGPT, often seem conscious due to their human-like interactions. Yet researchers suggest AI systems lack the intricacies of human consciousness.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·October 26, 2023·5 min read

Study Sheds Light on Elusive Minimally Conscious States

A new study has mapped the prevalence of an infrequent but impactful condition arising from acquired brain injuries: the minimally conscious state. This state manifests when victims of brain injuries exhibit faint indications of awareness despite a major loss of consciousness.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 12, 2023·4 min read

Does Consciousness Begin Before Birth?

Newfound evidence indicates that conscious experiences start as early as in late pregnancy. The study suggests that an infant's brain is capable of forming conscious experiences that shape their emergent self and environmental understanding.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 12, 2023·6 min read

Facial Cues Reveal How We Respond to Verbal Stimuli During Sleep

Researchers unearthed startling insights into the permeable boundary between wakefulness and sleep, demonstrating that individuals can respond to verbal stimuli by manipulating facial expressions during various sleep stages. This interaction occurs like fleeting windows of connection to the external world, even during periods of sleep traditionally considered devoid of external awareness.