Paradoxical pharmacological dissociations result from drugs that enhance delta oscillations but preserve consciousness
Communications Biology June 20, 2023 Joel Frohlich, Pedro A. M. Mediano, Francesco Bavato et al. 16 citations
Low-frequency delta-band neural activity is typically associated with loss of consciousness and cortical down states, especially when diffuse and high amplitude. However, several classes of pharmacological agents—including antiepileptic drugs, GABA B receptor activators, acetylcholine receptor blockers, and psychedelics—can produce neural activity resembling cortical down states while participants remain conscious. Among these substances safe for healthy volunteers, some may serve as valuable research tools for determining which neural activity patterns are sufficient for consciousness or its absence.