Brain Stem / Consciousness

[INRM]

The brain-stem has been suspected as playing a role in consciousness, especially since electrical pulses to the area can produce abscense sezires, and kids born without a cortex still maintained consciousness.

The question is, even if the cortex was absent, the thalamus would be present, and it has been implicated in a theory of consciousness and connects to the Brain-Stem -- how do they know it's brain-stem is the root of consciousness and not the thalamus?


INRM

[PixyMisa]

They don't. Nor do they know that there is a "root of consciousness" in the sense that consciousness is localised to a particular area of the brain. Different aspects of what we call consciousness do seem to arise in different parts of the brain.

[Piggy]

Cites, please.

Who is this "they"?

[PixyMisa]

Them. The them.

[LostAngeles]

Them. The them.

OH Them. Gotcha.

[Dancing David]

The brain-stem has been suspected as playing a role in consciousness, especially since electrical pulses to the area can produce abscense sezires, and kids born without a cortex still maintained consciousness.

The question is, even if the cortex was absent, the thalamus would be present, and it has been implicated in a theory of consciousness and connects to the Brain-Stem -- how do they know it's brain-stem is the root of consciousness and not the thalamus?


INRM

That is like pointing to the wheels of a car and saying, "Do they make it go fast? Are they the root of fastness?"

Consciousness can only be defined by behaviors:

Breathing and certain autonomics will be in the brain stem, but different other aspects will be in other areas.