The neural correlate of (un)awareness: lessons from the vegetative state

by: Steven Laureys

Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Vol. 9, No. 12. (December 2005), pp. 556-559.

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Abstract

Consciousness has two main components: wakefulness and awareness. The vegetative state is characterized by wakefulness without awareness. Recent functional neuroimaging results have shown that some parts of the cortex are still functioning in 'vegetative' patients. External stimulation, such as a painful stimulus, still activates 'primary' sensory cortices in these patients but these areas are functionally disconnected from 'higher order' associative areas needed for awareness. Such studies are disentangling the neural correlates of the vegetative state from the minimally conscious state, and have major clinical consequences in addition to empirical importance for the understanding of consciousness.

@article{citeulike:408285, abstract = {Consciousness has two main components: wakefulness and awareness. The vegetative state is characterized by wakefulness without awareness. Recent functional neuroimaging results have shown that some parts of the cortex are still functioning in 'vegetative' patients. External stimulation, such as a painful stimulus, still activates 'primary' sensory cortices in these patients but these areas are functionally disconnected from 'higher order' associative areas needed for awareness. Such studies are disentangling the neural correlates of the vegetative state from the minimally conscious state, and have major clinical consequences in addition to empirical importance for the understanding of consciousness.}, author = {Laureys, Steven }, citeulike-article-id = {408285}, doi = {10.1016/j.tics.2005.10.010}, journal = {Trends in Cognitive Sciences}, keywords = {awareness, neuroscience, pain, wakefulness}, month = {December}, number = {12}, pages = {556--559}, posted-at = {2005-11-25 13:05:49}, priority = {2}, title = {The neural correlate of (un)awareness: lessons from the vegetative state}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2005.10.010}, volume = {9}, year = {2005} }

RIS record

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:408285 L3 - citeulike-article-id:408285 TI - The neural correlate of (un)awareness: lessons from the vegetative state JF - Trends in Cognitive Sciences VL - 9 IS - 12 SP - 556 EP - 559 N2 - Consciousness has two main components: wakefulness and awareness. The vegetative state is characterized by wakefulness without awareness. Recent functional neuroimaging results have shown that some parts of the cortex are still functioning in 'vegetative' patients. External stimulation, such as a painful stimulus, still activates 'primary' sensory cortices in these patients but these areas are functionally disconnected from 'higher order' associative areas needed for awareness. Such studies are disentangling the neural correlates of the vegetative state from the minimally conscious state, and have major clinical consequences in addition to empirical importance for the understanding of consciousness. KW - awareness KW - neuroscience KW - pain KW - wakefulness AU - Laureys, Steven PY - 2005/12// UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2005.10.010 ER -

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